


Persona: BLEACHED

by ThatEeveeGuy13



Category: Persona Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-07 21:13:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 113,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18881377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatEeveeGuy13/pseuds/ThatEeveeGuy13
Summary: 16-year old writing prodigy Ringo "Rin" Kubo has lived a life wrought with pain and tragedy. The death of a loved one spurs her to enroll in the prestigious Naruki Ascension Academy, where she believes the culprit is hiding. Upon meeting a mysterious, platinum-haired girl, her quest takes an otherworldly turn. It is the first of many unexpected turns in her journey, as she finds that not everything in her life is as she perceives it.





	1. "Death and the Apple"

OCTOBER 25, 2018

NARUKI CITY, JAPAN

'knock, knock'

"Rin-chan! Wake up, Rin-chan!" "Urrrf, so noisy..." grumbled Ringo Kubo. The girl brushed her brown hair away from her face. She'd nodded off while writing. Again. A frequent occurance, to be certain. She'd go on such a writing tangent that eventually she'd fall asleep without even realizing it. She'd just accepted it as a good sort of problem to have, so full of ideas she was.

What was knocking at her bedroom door was a different kind of problem.

"Uggh, what is it, mom?" she grumbled as she opened the door. "I already told you, that camel in the commercial isn't really talki--" "It's not about the TV, Rin-chan. It's Tohru. He still hasn't come home."

Even though she was half-asleep, Ringo understood how serious this was. Her brother had left for the market about a half-hour before she'd fallen asleep. She looked over at her wall clock. 10 p.m. He'd been gone for close to three hours now. For her schedule-oriented brother this was hugely abnormal, especially given that the market was only a few minutes from their apartment. And it was the night before the elections at his school. He'd been campaigning for class president, and there was no way he would risk staying out late on a night like this.

"OK, just let me throw on something decent. I'll go and see what's up." "I'll come with you. I don't have a good feeling about this..."

So the pair left for the market. Ringo insisted on splitting up to look for Tohru, and despite some hesitation, her mother agreed. After a short while and no luck, Ringo walked past an alleyway, and...

"...help...me..."

Even with a somewhat busy crowd, Ringo heard just enough to notice something amiss. She walked over to near the source of the noise, a dumpster. Next to it, largely out of sight from the street, lay a young man, battered and bruised, blood coming from his mouth. Ringo recognized him. He was a classmate of Tohru's who worked at one of the local markets. "What happened?!" shouted Ringo. "You're...Rin-chan...? It was...they ambushed us...me and..." he grogged. Even before the words came out, Ringo knew. By this time, others walking by had noticed and came to see what was the matter. "Where is he?!" Rin demanded. "...took him...that way..." He pointed weakly to behind the building they were next to. Without hesitation, Rin sprinted away. She turned to look.

Her brother wasn't missing anymore.

Slumped next to the wall, beaten even more severely than his friend, was Tohru. Splotches of blood dotted the wall. His glasses lay shattered next to him. Rin sprinted to him. "Tohru! What happened?! C'mon, say something..." She was in full panic mode now. He could say nothing. She screamed for help. With his last ounce of strength, he grabbed her hand. With his other, he grabbed his school blazer. The blazer of Naruki Ascension Academy, the school he'd been so proud of. He weakly motioned towards the logo. Then, his hand meekly slumped to the ground. Tearfully, Rin tried to stir him awake. "Hey, come on, don't...don't do this, Toh...please, I can't, not again..."

Only silence answered her. Then, the sound of footsteps as the emergency personnel arrived. And soon after that, her frantic mother. After a while, only the sounds of weeping could be heard.

The blade of fate, so merciless, so absolute...had dropped.

\---

AUGUST 20, 2019

NARUKI ASCENSION ACADEMY

Ringo stared up at the imposing school building. This is what she had been working towards for the past ten months. Even before Tohru's death, she had been working towards transferring to the academy for her sophomore year. No easy feat by any means, but her brother's murder had given her the extra motivation to push through the school's arduous entrance exams.

Her brother used the last ounce of life he had to point her towards the school. Whoever had taken his life had ties to the school, that much she was certain of. She looked at her necklace, a skull-mask design with red stripes on one side. A gift from Tohru for her birthday a few months prior to his demise. She'd refused to take it off until his killer had been found. With Tohru's associate unable to give police a good description of the attackers, she knew that finding hints as to the culprit's identity would be difficult.

Difficult, but not impossible. With resolve in her heart, she walked through the gates.

A pure white butterfly fluttered past. Close by, a figure in a blue cloak looked on as Rin walked into the school building. Next to the figure was a man wearing an orange tropical shirt, his face obscured. He was jutting notes into a pocket handbook. "Are you certain this girl is suitable for our needs, father?" the blue-cloaked girl asked. "The blades of fate are never incorrect, my dear. Her potential is vast, her resolve clear. She will make for a wonderful Fool for our tale. As for who the supporting cast shall be..." The man smirked. "Well, that is for fate to decide, isn't it?" He pocketed his book. The pair walked away.

Rin made her way to the newly-built dorms. The school had been in the process of building on-campus housing for a while, but Tohru's murder off-campus had given more urgency to the process. Even though he was just a sophomore at the time, Tohru was highly respected by the student body and administration. His death was not taken lightly.

Rin entered the girls' dorm building. It was a couple of days before classes, but the moving process was in full swing. "330...331...332..." She walked through the hallway, skimming the doors for her room number. "Aaaaand, 333. Bingo." She took out the key and opened the door.

Inside, it had the standard structure: a pair of rooms, each with a bed, a small kitchen area and a bathroom. Rin had brought one suitcase with her clothes with her; her mother was bringing the rest of her necessities later on. "Welp, better go drop this fella off..." She walked into one of the rooms, and right when she was about to drop the suitcase onto the bed...

"WHOAZERS, HOLD UP ONE SEC!"

A figure frantically leapt from under the covers, startling Rin. "MEEP!" "Haven't even introduced ourselves and you're already trying to squish me?! I can already see how swimmingly this is gonna go!" "Maybe don't hide under the covers like a creeper, then!" The girl got up from the floor. She had short brown hair, and was wearing a green and black jacket. "So-REE, I was testing the beds for their softness. Trying to make the choosing process easy." "More like trying to leave me with a less comfortable bed to deal with!" "Hey, for the record they're both pretty darn comfy!"

The girl shook her head. "Okay, okay, let's rewind a bit. We're gonna share a bathroom for a year, we can't be at each other's throats two seconds in." Rin sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I'm Ringo Kubo. Sorry about almost squishing you." "See, that's a bit better. Nice to meet ya, Rin-Rin! I'm Tenko, Tenko Kitsunezaru. As a present for not making me a Tenko sandwich, I'll let ya have this bed. It's ever-so slightly more...enchanting...than the other one." Tenko sighed as she said this.

Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Hooooold on a sec, my mind's making a baby!" Rin looked confused. "I'VE GOT IT! Lemme take ya to the best café Naruki's got to offer!" Tenko grabbed Rin by the arm and hurried her out the door. "W-wait a sec, I haven't finished unpacking--!" "Aww, it can wait! You'll need an extra energy boost, anyway! While we're at it we can get to know each others' deepest, darkest secrets..." "I immediately regret several of my life choices."

Tenko dragged Rin along until they reached a small black-colored building. Atop the building was a sign reading "Yamada's Den", with an image of a stylized skull enveloped in black-and-blue flame. "This is where pretty much every student of the academy heads to when they've got the time. The owners' son's a student there too. Sometimes he even gives us discounts on the teas!" explained Tenko. As they were about to walk in, a bespectacled young man with messy brown hair and a white button-down shirt walked out. He stared at Rin for a moment. Then, "Well hello there, Kitsunezaru. Fancy running into you here. Have you been keeping well?" "Well I was until I saw your mug, Kyohei. Off to go scare some grade-schoolers?" "Cute. That tongue of yours is still razor-sharp, I see. And who might your friend here be?" "Don't even think about it. Last time I let you talk to one of my friends they were in tears for a solid ten minutes." "Hmm, sensitive soul. And how is our good Hiyoko doing?" "Soon as I find out I'll make sure you're the last to know." "Well then. I suppose that's my cue to depart. Nice catching up with you." He began to walk away, before turning back towards Rin. "Keep her within distance, Ms. Kubo. I hear she's weak around the drink." "Huh? How do--" began Rin, but he had already turned and continued walking.

"UGGGGH. That guy is such a CREEP." groaned Tenko. "Who was that guy? And how did he know who I was?" asked Rin. "Oh, just the neighborhood slimeball. You'll hear about him soon enough. Probably met him once and just blocked it from your mind." Tenko answered. Rin pondered to herself. "Is that really all there is to it? I don't know if I'd forget someone with that...unnerving of an aura.", she thought. Still shaken from the strange encounter, the pair proceeded to enter the café.

"Alright, let's not let the little creep spoil our day before it's even started. We've got discounts to grab!" exclaimed Tenko. Behind the counter was a blonde-haired young man wearing an apron with the same skull design as the store's sign. Tenko waived to him. "Yoohoo, Yūji-senpai!" The young man looked over. "Oh, well if it isn't our local sake queen. Didn't take you long to come back." he said with a smirk. "Well, you know me. When the liquid of love calls, I have to answer it." Tenko answered. "Quite. And who might your friend here be?" "She's my new roommate-slash-bestie! I'm giving her the grand tour." "I've barely gotten two words in, and we're already besties?", thought Rin. "Well then, I suppose that means she'll be a frequent visitor alongside you. Oh, but where are my manners? I'm Yūji Yamada. I'm a senior at the academy. Pleasure to meet you." "I'm Ringo Kubo. I'm this girl's hostage. The pleasure's all mine." Tenko bore a cheeky expression at the remark. Yūji, however, bore a look of surprise.

"Did you just say your name was Kubo? As in..." Rin stopped him before he could finish the thought. "You don't have to ask, I already know. And the answer is yes. As in Tohru Kubo. He is...was...my older brother." "Wait, really?!" exclaimed Tenko. "Jeez, I thought it was just a coincidence..." "Oh, I see...forgive me for prying. It would seem my curiosity overcame my better judgement. My sincerest apologies, and my condolences." "No, it's fine. Sure it won't be the last time someone asks." "No no, I've made a rather poor impression here. Tell you what, I'll give you some of my family's specialty tea, on the house. Least I can do for digging up such unsavory memories." "Well, if you're that insistent..."

The girls sat down at a table. After a few moments of awkward silence, and noticing the look of sadness on Rin's face, Tenko spoke up. "Hey, so...what's it that brought you here?" "You mean, aside from you dragging me here?" "I meant to the academy, silly. What super-mega-ultra talent were you wanting to hone?" "Oh, um, well...to tell you the truth, I wanted to transfer here for a while. I hear the writing program's one of the best offered in the country. And I...thought going to the same school as my brother would be fun..." Tenko paused. "Oh..." "But after...it happened, well...the last thing he did was grab his school jacket. He gestured at the school's logo. So that makes me think that someone from this school knows what happened to him. No serious suspects have come up and I'm scared the police'll never solve it. So even..." Rin began to fight back the tears. "Even if it's just chasing ghosts, it's the only thing I have. I just can't...I can't let Tohru's death go without closure like..." Before she could finish, she suddenly felt herself being grabbed. Tenko, visibly crying now herself, was hugging her. "Awwww, shoot, Rin-Rin, I had no idea...tell you what. I'll help you out, any way I possibly can. It's against the friend code to let your bestie suffer alone, after all." Rin was stunned. At first somewhat annoyed by the rapid jump to "bestie" status, now it didn't feel so bad. No objections came, just a simple "Thank you."

"OK, so..." Rin began, "Sorry I keep turning this into a downer party. Why don't you tell me about why you're in this happy neck of the woods?" "Oh, little old me? Well...the academy has probably the best fencing team in this part of the country." "Fencing, huh? You mean with the masks and the stabby stabby?" "Something along those lines. It took everything I had to make the team last year, but did I ever do it. And thanks to all that training, I know about 87 different ways to stab at somebody!" She made a jabbing motion with her hand. "That's...probably not something you want to say while smiling." said Rin. "But hey, you should let me know when your season starts, I'd love to come and watch." "Wait, you mean it?" "Yeah, I mean, I dunno the first thing about fencing but hey, supporting your bestie's rule number one of the friend code, right?" Tenko's eyes lit up. "Yep, totally!"

After finishing and then chatting for a while, the girls returned to the dorms. "Oh, rats!" Tenko exclaimed, "I think my room key fell out at the café. I'm gonna run back and look, hopefully Yūji-senpai grabbed it. Fingers crossed!" Tenko ran off. Rin checked her watch. Still a few hours until her mom arrived. She began walking towards her room. When she reached the door, however, she was met by an odd sight. A figure wearing a blue cloak was standing next to her door. Rin could see what appeared to be silver-grayish hair beneath the hood of the cloak. "Ummm, can I help you?" Rin asked. The figure looked up, her eyes shown to be a bright yellow. "You are Ringo Kubo, correct?" "Um, yeah. That'd be me. And who exactly am I speaking to?" "Someone with a keen interest in how your tale will progress." "Uh-huuuuuh. Look, sweetie, I don't mind having a fan but the vibes you're giving off are leaning towards--" "I am here to help with the progression of your tale." "'Kay then, calling the cops it is." As Rin grabbed for the door, the cloaked girl grabbed her arm. "Hey, what's the big idea?!" "Apologies. But progression first requires a trial." An odd symbol began to glow on the girl's hand. She smacked the door and it flew open, revealing what looked to be a portal. Before she knew what was happening, Rin was flung inside.

Rin shortly after fell through the other side. She looked up and saw that she appeared to still be in the dorm. However, the halls were now tinted a dull green and red, as opposed to its earlier vibrant color scheme. "The hell? What is this? Did that little brat drug me or something?" "This is not the result of substance-induced hallucination, Ringo Kubo." Rin looked up and saw the cloaked girl standing upside-down on the ceiling. "This is...Tartarus. This is where all of humanity's hidden desires and emotions congregate into one plane of existence." "Tartarus...like in the Greek myths? Are you off your meds or something? Look, wherever the hell this is, just take me back home!" "I cannot." "Why not?!" "You cannot leave this place until you finally come to accept the truth of your situation. That...or die. Die at the hands of the Shadows that populate this realm." "Shadows, huh? We're just throwing everything out there, aren't we? And what are these so-called 'Shadows'?" Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from behind the entrance door to the dorm. Shadowy claws could be seen from behind the window. "Them." said the girl.

As the door began to give way, Rin made a break for it. As she began to run up the stairs, she turned and saw a glimpse of the door breaking down. The rumbling grew louder. She could see the featureless forms making their way down the hall. She ran to the second floor, and as she sprinted down the hall, the girl continued to appear in front of her. "Nothing can be gained by running." "What do you suggest I do, then?!" "Stand and face the truth." "More like 'stand and get ripped apart by monsters'! Thanks but no thanks!" She ran to the third floor, then the fourth. Reaching the end of the hall, she tried to break open the window. No luck. She turned around to look. The rumbling grew louder. "Dammit, DAMMIT! Why is this...why does this have to be how it ends? Never even coming close to--" She turned back towards the window. Reflected in the window was herself, but with glowing yellow eyes. "Huh?" Shocking her was that the reflection didn't mirror her movements. Then...

"What do you think you're doing, Ringo?" the reflection asked in a voice almost matching Rin's own, but distorted. Suddenly, Rin found herself in a deserted playground. "Wait, what is this? I was just..." She noticed a crow flying about. And it landed on the finger of the reflection, now in physical form. "Time is running out, Ringo. The creatures will be upon you soon. I have brought your mind here so that we can finally talk, face-to-face." "Who...who are you?" "Who am I? Shouldn't that be obvious? I'm you. Or rather, I'm who you truly are. I am a Shadow, of your true inner self. And I'm giving you this one chance to fight back against that which would cause you harm." She began petting the bird. "Ringo...do you truly know what it is you want?"

"What I want? What I've been saying all along...I want to know what happened to Tohru." "And then what?" "Huh?" "When you find the one responsible, what do you want to see done? Justice? Vengeance? And what of anyone who would journey with you on this quest? What I'm trying to say is this: you need to realize that this will not be as simple as you believe it to be. This will be a long, grueling road, one that will most assuredly bring consequences for many, yourself included. You hesitate because you do not know what it is that will be uncovered, and you fear the consequences that it may bring to those you care about. You claim to seek the truth, yet you fear what that truth may mean for you. You need to understand that your actions will have consequences, but that there is no other way for you to proceed." "I fear...the truth? I...all I want is for the one who hurt Tohru to pay for it...because he did nothing wrong. Dad...nobody ever paid for what happened to him, and I can't let that happen to Tohru...but I can't let anyone else get hurt by this."

"So yeah, I'm afraid of the truth...but I can't go forward if I don't know it! And those consequences? I'll take full responsibility, but that won't be necessary. Because...I refuse to let anybody else get hurt! Not while my heart's still beating!" "...yes, very well. I have heeded your resolve." The Shadow moved towards a tree, and plucked an apple from it, presenting it to Rin. "Let us push through together. I will lend you my strength, so that none may suffer as we have. Let us forge a contract." Taking the cue, Rin took the apple, and bit into it. Suddenly, she found herself in the hallway once more. She felt a jolt of pain in her head, and clasped it. The Shadows drew nearer.

'I am thou, thou art I...thou who would tread the path of strife to achieve thine own justice. Take up this blade, and cut through to the truth! Let no pain, no obstacle halt thy path! The wings of thy fortitude shall be your guide! Those who would obstruct your path to the truth, let it be known, shall know what it is to experience true hell!'

Rin stood up, and opened her eyes, which were now tinged with yellow. She took on a sinister grin, as blue flames enveloped her form. When she emerged, she was cloaked in a black shihakusho robe, and was now wielding a pitch-black colored katana. Behind her stood a figure wearing armor black as night, its cape constructed with dark feathers, its eyes glowing a piercing red. Grasping her blade, Rin dashed straight through the approaching hoard. The next moment, the monsters erupted in a fountain of blood, before dissipating into nothingness. Rin sheathed her blade. "Let's do this together...Karas."

The cloaked girl appeared. "Yes, that is it. The Persona...the guise one assumes to combat life's challenges. It is now yours to command. Now our tale can begin properly." "Yeah, great. So would you mind explaining what any of that I just experienced was?" "In due time. First, before I let you return to your world, my employer would like a word." The girl's hand began glowing again, and she grabbed Rin. "Oh we're doing this again, huh? Lovely."

Rin found herself sitting inside a carriage on a ferris wheel. Across from her sat a bespectacled man wearing an orange tropical shirt, jutting down notes. The cloaked girl was sitting next to him. The carriage itself sported a velvet hue. "I have been looking forward to this meeting." said the man. "Welcome to the Velvet Room. Or perhaps 'Velvet Carriage' would be more apropos. My name is Farquhar. I am the interim overseer of this room. I believe you have already met my assistant Rosemary." The girl bowed her head. "A pleasure to formally make your acquaintance." "Uhh, likewise. Glad this time doesn't involve you sending me to evil monster land."

"Allow me to first explain where we are. This room occupies a space between the conscious and the unconscious. It is where we can monitor those who have forged contracts with their true selves. Such people are the only ones who can percieve this place." Farquhar explained. "The reason we have brought you here..." Rosemary took out a card. It depicted a picture of what appeared to be a jester, and bore the words "The Fool". "It is because the whims of fate have chosen you for a greater purpose. Destiny has brought you here, to this place, at this moment, for a reason." "But why me? I'm just a normal girl. I write and I listen to music. All this 'destiny' stuff is way above my pay grade..." "You have come to the academy seeking truth. But that truth is submerged beneath an ocean of secrets and ill deeds. Hearts that have been twisted and corrupted dwell within its walls. To change those hearts, and to unearth the truth you seek...this is what we have brought you here for. That is what the Persona you have been bestowed is for."

"I just...don't know how to respond to any of this. Personas and Shadows and fate...this all sounds like stuff I've written. I don't know if I'm really cut out for something like this. But...if this is what I need to do to get to the truth...and if it can change things for the better, then I guess I don't have much choice. So, what exactly do you need me to do?" "Excellent. Now, in order to proceed..." "Father, if I may?" Rosemary interjected. "Hmm? What is it?" "If it is not too much trouble, I wish to accompany Ringo on her quest." "Hm? And where is this coming from?" "I have come to the conclusion that I could effectively guide her through Tartarus, and explain everything involved. Also...I have been intrigued by the human world for a long time. I am curious as to how human emotions and relationships work. I surmise that accompanying her and experiencing this firsthand would be beneficial." "Ahh, I see. Very well then. Ms. Kubo, I would hope this is not too much to ask?" "Umm, well, I don't know how we're gonna make a living situation work but...if she can help me out then I guess it's alright." "Splendid. There is your answer, Rosemary. I look forward to hearing of your findings." "Thank you, Father. I will do my best to meet your expectations. As well as yours, Ms. Kubo." "Just don't try another stunt like earlier and we'll be A.O.K."

Rosemary grabbed Rin's hand. "Good luck to you both. I shall wait with bated breath to see how your tale unfolds. I will be in touch..." The two teleported away, and Rin found herself in her own bed.

She heard a knock. Tenko popped in. "Hey there, sleepyhead! Found my key! Oh yeah, your ma's here with your stuff. Chop chop, not polite to leave her waiting, ya know!" Rin slowly got up. Sheesh. I can't imagine how the rest of this year's gonna go... she thought.

AUGUST 21, 2019

'Knock, knock'

"Uggh, seriously, at this time of day?" Rin grogged and rubbed her eyes as she went to the door. Tenko peeked her head out of her room. "Oy, can't a girl get her beauty sleep around here?" "Don't blame me, we've got a visitor, apparently." Rin opened the door, and was startled by who was there.

The blue-cloaked girl from before. Rosemary. Only now instead of a cloak, she was wearing a dark blue standard issue school uniform, revealing long platinum blonde hair and an accompanying blue hairband. Her once-yellow eyes were now the same shade of blue as her clothing. "Good morning, Ringo." she said. "The hell are you doing here?!" "Riiiin, what's going on?" questioned Tenko. Before Rin could answer, Rosemary walked into the room. She respectfully bowed her head. "A pleasure to meet you. My name is Rosemary Farquhar. I will be staying here as your roommate for the foreseeable future." "Wait that's what they meant by accompanying me?!", Rin thought. "Ohhh, aren't you just the cutest?!" Tenko sprung toward Rosemary and grabbed her hand. "Wait, you're cool with this?!" Rin questioned. "I have followed all the necessary parameters for attending and living at this school. I hope this is not an issue?" "Oh, of course not! Always room for one more on the fun train! Right, Rin-Rin?" exclaimed Tenko. Rin was speechless. "I...uh...*sigh*. Yeah, sure." she finally said, defeated.

"OK, so, plans for today!" began Tenko. "Since this is the last day before classes start, I wanted to get ahead of the curve and introduce you to some of my mates. You can come too, Rosey!" "Your 'mates'? So are humans akin to other animal species that may take multiple partners?" asked Rosemary. "Hehe, looks like we've got a joker on our hands, Rin-Rin!" "I don't think she was joking...", Rin thought. "Are you sure this is a good idea, though? I mean, is there even a guarantee your friends'll like me?" she asked. "Well, I like you. And my friends are all super nice, too, so I'm sure they'll feel the same way! Just be yourself and you'll be OK!"

Rin was silent. Be myself, huh..., she thought. "Hey." she finally said. "You guys go on ahead. I have some things to take care of. I'll give you a call when I'm done." "You sure? Well OK, then. I'll take Rosey over to Yūji's in the meantime. See ya soon!" Tenko went out the door. "Is something the matter? Was this too abrupt?" Rosemary asked. "I-it's nothing to do with you. I just have a few things to sort through. You'll be OK with Tenko, she's a fun girl. Just give me a few..." Rin rubbed her wrist as she said this. "...very well. Good luck with your objectives." Rosemary left.

Rin sighed. She went to the bathroom, and took off her jacket. Both of her arms were wrapped in bandages. She rubbed one softly. She sighed again. "Baby steps, Rin..." She turned the shower on.

A short while later, at the Yamada café, Tenko and Rosemary were at a table. "So, um...where did you say you were from, Rosey?" "I am from...a land of velvet." "Right, but where exactly?" "I am not at liberty to disclose that." "Ooooh, secretive. You some kind of undercover agent?" "Would an undercover agent openly reveal that fact in a public setting?" "...got me there." Rin approached the table. "Yo." she said. Tenko looked up. She appeared shocked. "Eh?! Rin-Rin, your hair..."

Rin's formerly brown hair was now a stark crimson. "Yeah, I know. It's a lot to take in." "So you were coloring your hair this whole time?" "I wasn't coloring it. I was doing the opposite. This is my real hair color. You said I should just be myself, right? Well I figured this was a good starting point." "Why would you ever cover it up? It's so cute!" "That's what I think! I hated having to cover it up, but people wouldn't stop joking about it and I got sick of it." "Were people making fun of it because your name translates to 'apple', and having that color hair meant the jokes were simple to make?" asked Rosemary. "Boy, just cutting right to the point, huh? But yeah. It's already unusual enough that people would point it out regardless, but having the name I do just cinched it. So I covered it up. But no more. I'm going into this little adventure as the real me."

"Segueing from that point, we gonna go see these friends of yours, Tenko?" asked Rin. "Well, about that...one of them isn't planning on leaving their dorm until tomorrow. Personal reasons. The other one's working. At their big fancy job." There was a hint of sarcasm in the last statement, but Rin didn't press it. "But it's alright! I've got the last one free down at the fishing docks. It's a little bit of a walk, but that gives us more chatting time!" The girls paid for the meal, bid Yūji farewell, and departed.

After walking for a while, the trio reached the docks. "Bleh, this is where your bud hangs out? A smelly joint like this?" Rin asked, holding her nose. "It ain't the usual hangout spot, but he works here part-time. Now where the heck is he?" Tenko looked around. "Oh, there he is! JOJOOOOOOO!" she shouted. "'JoJo'?" said a confused Rin.

A short distance away, a young man stood looking out to the sea, and turned in response to the shout. He had messy, shoulder-length brown hair, beard stubble, and wore a green leather jacket. He had a stick in his mouth stylized to look like an oar. "Good grief, you gotta yell so loud?" he grumbled. Tenko ran over to him and hugged him. "Don't squeeze so hard, dammit!" he griped. Rin and Rosemary walked over. "Sorry 'bout that, hehe. Anyway, these are the friends I was telling you about." Rosemary bowed. "A pleasure to meet you. My name is Rosemary." "Yo. And I'm Ringo. Nice to meet ya, 'JoJo'." "Gettin' used to that already, huh? Well that's great." gruffed the young man. "Name's Shūjo Higashikata. Or as everyone else in the world calls me, JoJo."

"Hey, Tenko...you heard anything from Hiyoko lately?", Shūjo asked. "Well, she says she's coming to class tomorrow, but isn't gonna step outside her dorm until then." she answered. "Hrrrm. Well after the way last year ended, can't say I blame her much." Tenko looked out towards the ocean. "Huh?! Hey, look at this!" She had caught sight of a pod of small whales swimming near the docks. She ran closer to see. "Hey, wait a sec--" began Rin, but Tenko had already sprinted away. "Shall I make sure she does not fall over in her excitement?" Rosemary asked. Shūjo sighed. "Yeah, go for it." he replied. She did so.

"That girl...she's an energetic one, all right." said Shūjo. "I'm really starting to see that." added Rin. "She really means well. She's basically our 'designated group mom'. Really takes it personal when someone close gets hurt, like..." "Hiyoko?" Rin spoke up. "Heh. How'd you guess?" "It's come up before. This one dude with glasses mentioned her yesterday..." Shūjo's eyes took a darker tone. "Oh. So you've had the pleasure of meeting that rat fuck." "Oh, yikes. He's that bad?" "The worst. Kyohei Ishimaru. You'll be seeing plenty of him and his cronies whether you like it or not. Even if he is in the class above ours. Dude walks around like he's the damned god of the whole school. Talks like he's complimenting you when he's actually talking down to you. Just a Grade A slimeball. Only reason he won the class presidency last year was cuz..."

That caught Rin's attention. "He's the...junior class president?" "For better or worse. Almost didn't happen, though. His one serious opponent was about to crush him like nothing else. Dude matched Ishi in brain power, but has the added advantage of, y'know, not being Ishi. But then the night before the election, he was--" "Stop." "Hm? What's up? That the sun or did your face just get pale?" "You were about to say that his opponent was murdered the night before the election, right?" "Hm? You know about that already?" "...I was holding his hand as he took his last breath. He was...he was my older brother." "Oh, shit. I didn't know. Sorry about bringing it up that way." "No, it's perfectly OK. Do you think..." "Do I think Ishimaru and his flookies had something to do with it? Hell yes I do. Everyone in the school does. Problem is, having parents with money and power can do a lot for steering suspicion away from you...that's just my thinking."

"That the reason you came here, though? Find out what happened? Well, good luck with that. There'd be a lot of roadblocks." "You saying I can't do it?" "I'm saying you'd need help clearing them. And I'd be more than happy to give those self-righteous punks a piece of my mind. You hang around us long enough, they'll come after you. Especially if they know who your brother was. You'll need the help of some friends if and when that happens." "Just...who are these guys?" "It'd be better if I showed you at school tomorrow. You're gonna need a visual for the shit I'm gonna tell you. Cuz it is some shit."

Tenko and Rosemary walked back over. "Ohhhh, you guys getting chummy over here?" Tenko joked. "As if." gruffed Shūjo. After some more playful teasing, the girls departed. "Yo, Ringo." called Shūjo. "Don't forget what I said. We'll talk tomorrow." As they walked further away, Rin pulled Rosemary aside. "Hey, so...your boss was talking about fixing the twisted stuff in the school, right? About changing hearts to get to the truth?" "Yes. That is correct." "Well...back there, what me and Shūjo were talking about...about the bad people in the school, and how they're connected to my brother. That's what I have to fix, right? So...once he tells me what's going on, will you help me? Show me what it is I need to do?" "Of course. That is what I am here for, after all. However...if the people you meet along the way express the desire to aid you on this endeavor, I will have to bring them into this treacherous world. Will you be fine with that?" "One-hundred percent. The more the merrier. And..." Rin looked over at Tenko, who was playing with a dog she had walked past. "I think I know who I want to bring along for the ride first."

As the girls walked away, a figure emerged from the shadows. "Well then..." the figure sneered. "It would seem this little walk has proven fruitful after all..." They walked into the distance, still sneering to themselves.

\---

EIGHT YEARS AGO

KARAKURA TOWN, JAPAN

The rain pours down, much as it does so often in this town. On this day, however, the downpour brings with it a danger of a different sort. Inside one of the local shops, a woman flanked by numerous children is in a panic.

"Ma'am, please, we need to stay calm here." said the store owner. "Stay calm?! You expect me to stay calm?! You saw the news report! There's a fugitive on the loose and I'm missing a student, and you want me to stay calm?!" the teacher yelled back. "I understand that, ma'am, but there's police out there by the dozens now. He's probably already safe with them." "How can you be so sure?!"

She ran over to one of the girls. "Tenko! You were supposed to keep close to Jinichi! How'd you lose sight of him?!" "I-I-I don't know. I...I turned away for a minute cuz I saw a puppy. I turned around and he was gone. Is...is Jin gonna be okay?" "...just stay put. I'll try to sort this out."

The teacher turned back to the store owner. Tenko looked over and saw a display with baseball equipment. A moment later, the store owner looked up. "Um, miss? I think we have another problem..." The door was opened, the display was missing a bat, and Tenko was gone.

Tenko ran through the pouring rain. Eventually, she overheard an argument coming from an alleyway close to where she had last seen Jin. She moved closer, and hid behind one of the walls. She peeked over and saw a man screaming at a group of police officers pointing guns at him. The man was holding a child in his arms, and had a gun pointed at his head. It was Jin.

"Put the kid down!" yelled one of the officers. "Sure, I'll put him down. Won't be in one piece when I do. You think I'm fucking around?! I'll blast this brat's insides right onto that pavement if you pigs don't back off! I already got me a life sentence, think I won't kill a kid?!" the man screamed, alternating between pointing the gun at Jin's head and towards the officers. "Go ahead. Take your shot. Can't guarantee you won't hit the brat, can ya? I can live with it, how 'bout you?" Tenko watched as it unfolded, and then, when the man next pointed the gun away from Jin, she made her move.

The man turned around to see the girl running at him with the bat, and before he could react, she swung and hit him in the chest. He let go of Jin and reeled back, before swinging his arm and hitting Tenko. He pointed his gun at her. "Little bitch! I'm gonna--" Before he could finish the sentence, a gunshot rang out. His head recoiled, and he fell to the ground. One of the officers had shot him in the head, killing him instantly.

As the officers scrambled to see if he was truly dead, Tenko got up and saw Jin sitting up against the wall, crying. She went over to him. Shortly after, the teacher arrived, calling for Tenko, who was now hugging a still-weeping Jin. "It's OK, Jin. I'm not gonna lose you again. I won't lose anybody ever again. I'll keep you safe forever if I have to..."

"I promise...I won't let one friend get hurt ever again."

\---

AUGUST 22, 2019

NARUKI CITY, JAPAN

Tenko sat on her bed, staring at her phone. "Hey, Tenko! Up and at 'em, it's the big day today!" yelled out Rin. "Uh, yeah! Just give me a sec!" She stared at her phone and sighed. "I said I'd keep you safe, Jin...don't shut me out like this." With another sigh, she put her phone down and started getting ready for class.

A short while later, the girls made their way to their homeroom, where Shūjo and several other students already were. Sitting talking with him was a girl who had her brown hair in braids. "Hey ho, girlie!" she exclaimed upon seeing Tenko. "Hey, you're alive!" Tenko said, embracing the girl in a hug. "Well, if you could call all the loveliness happening to my body alive." "Oh, don't be such a downer. Too early in the school year for that. Oh yeah, these two ladies are my new roomies."Yo. I'm Rin." "And I am Rosemary." She bowed her head. "I'm gonna take a guess and say that you're the Hiyoko I've heard so much about." said Rin. "You guess right, girlie. Hiyoko Taiyō, to be precise. Nice to meet ya." "Or as we call her, our human medical experiment." said Shūjo. "Oh, hush." Hiyoko retorted, slapping him playfully.

"Hey, you heard anything from Jin?", Shūjo asked Tenko. "...no. Nothing." she answered. "Man, what the hell's that guy doing? He's usually twenty minutes earlier than anyone else..." "Uh, sorry to pipe in but, is this Jin guy the other friend you were talking about yesterday?" Rin asked. "Yeah. Jinichi Mirai's his name. He's Tenko's--" Shūjo began, but was quickly silenced. "He's an old friend that got a fancy job that told him to forget we existed." Tenko said bluntly. "O-oh, I see..." said Rin. Rosemary turned her head to the door. "Would he happen to be this tired-looking fellow at the door?" she said.

Sure enough, at the door was a boy with short, dark-colored hair, and what looked to be the beginnings of a goatee. He had a tired look on his face, and he yawned loudly. He wordlessly made his way to his seat. He put his head down. "Jesus, he looks like shit." said Shūjo. "What's wrong with him?" Rin asked. "Few months ago he got this job selling cable door to door. Seems convinced it'll lead to something big, but from what I see they work him to death. We've barely gotten sight of him since." said Hiyoko. Without a word, Tenko walked over to his desk. "Aw c'mon, don't, we don't need a--welp, we're doing it." said Shūjo.

"...not even gonna say hi, Jin?" said Tenko, a tinge of anger in her voice. He lifted his head, saw who it was, and promptly put it back down. "Aw, for Christ's sake..." he grumbled. "You can't ignore me forever, Jin." "Who said I was?" "You don't even answer my calls anymore." "Cuz I'm busy." "You can't be busy 24/7. Or has that job of yours evolved to where you have no free time?" "Are we seriously doing this?" "I'm worried about you, Jin." "Worried cuz you can't control me anymore, right?" Tenko was taken aback by the words. "I know you think it's your job to save my ass, but I don't need saving, OK? I'm not some kid with a gun pressed to his head anymore, I know what I'm doing. If you were really my friend you wouldn't be arguing with me about this." Tenko clenched her fists. "I'm arguing with you because you're my friend, Jin." He put his head down. "Just leave me alone..." he grumbled. She walked away in a huff.

Tenko went to her seat, and put her head down with a frustrated groan. Hiyoko began to pat her on the back, trying to calm her down. "It's OK, hun. You know he doesn't mean it." Shūjo sighed. "Good grief. He'd never talk to her like that. The hell are those people telling him..." Rosemary looked over at Jin with a curious expression.

Class came and went with no further drama. Lunch period arrived, and the group made their way to the dining hall. At their table, Rin noticed Tenko staring off. She looked in the direction Tenko was looking, and noticed Jin sitting away from everyone else. He appeared to be nodding off. "Don't fret about it. I told you she was basically the group mom. It's a different story when it comes to him, though. Those two go way back..." said Shūjo. Rosemary looked over at Tenko. "Is what you are feeling right now 'sorrow'?" she asked. "Huh?" Tenko snapped out of her trance. "My apologies. I simply wish to better understand what it is you are feeling." "Why would I be sad? What'd give you that idea?" "Your shoulders are slumped. Your previously energetic movements have become more subdued. And your sight has been directed towards him this entire time." Tenko was speechless.

"Hey, what's with all the questions all of a sudden?" asked Rin. "I do not mean to pry. I am simply curious into the nature of human emotion. It is the whole reason why I came here, to better understand what causes people to feel a certain way. And perhaps, to experience those feelings myself." "You're talking as if you're not human yourself, sweets." said Hiyoko. Rin got a nervous look on her face. Then, Shūjo peered over at another table. "Yo. Speaking of not human."

Shūjo gestured towards a table on the opposite end of the room. Sitting at the head of the table was Kyohei Ishimaru, Junior Class President. Three other young men were sitting with him: a dark-haired boy wearing a black military-style school uniform, a boy with long, silver hair and a white uniform, and a boy with messy brown hair and a brown uniform. "The Council of D-Bags, ladies. You wanted to know what the root of all evil in this school was, Rin, there you go."

"The dude in the military getup is Kurojū Mishima. He's the head of the school's disciplinary committee. You act any sort of way he isn't fond of, you're gonna hear about it. He's Ishimaru's primary muscle."

"The girly-haired creep is Ginmaru Hibiki. He's the head of the school's news broadcast division. Meaning, he heads Ishimaru's propaganda machine. Any writer puts out even a sliver of negativity about Ishimaru, well, they won't be a writer for much longer."

"And that scruffy, bored-looking guy is Taikutsu Kyōshinja. His father heads the school's athletics committee, meaning that if there's a team or person not living up to Ishimaru's standards, he'll let daddy know about it. In the three years he's been here we've had seven coaches lose their jobs. Some damn good ones too, but disagreeing with these guys is like an automatic pink slip."

"And at the center of it all: Kyohei Ishimaru. Wanna know how these guys can have this much influence when they're only students? This dude's uncle is a high-ranking government official. Meaning a lot of shit can just disappear if he wants it to. Including..." Shūjo looked over at Rin. "Any kind of investigation that could implicate these bastards in a crime."

While listening, Rin noticed that Hiyoko's expression had become similar to Tenko's. "I'm guessing they made something involving you disappear." Rin said. Hiyoko sighed. "Well, let's just say there's a reason I was camped in my room the last few days."

Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of the table. Taikutsu was sneering, and standing next to Hiyoko. "Hey ho, nerds. You done spying on people eating yet?" "You-!", uttered Shūjo. "'Sup, dollface? Over your end-of-year illness, I see." "Don't talk to me like we're friends, you slime." said Hiyoko. "*sigh*. Guess all those meds can't help with attitude. Anyway, just wanted to catch up with you folks. And meet our little redhead here." Rin didn't say anything. "Ooooh, staring right through me. Just like broski. Shame what happened to him. But uhhh, maybe you should take note, dollface. Sometimes it's better to just mind your tongue." Suddenly, Shūjo jolted up and grabbed Taikutsu's collar. "Ah ah aaaah, JoJo." He pointed over to Kurojū, who was watching with a smirk on his face. "Wouldn't want to make a scene where our disciplinary chairman can see, would ya? Expulsion within a day would be a record, even for someone of...your breed. Now get your hands off." Shūjo gritted his teeth, and reluctantly did so. "Later, nerds." Taikutsu walked back with a smirk.

"Piece of shit-!" Shūjo growled. "Wow. You guys weren't kidding. I could feel the slime oozing out of every word." said Rin. "It's so much worse than you know." piped up Tenko. Hiyoko remained silent. "What did they do to you, Hiyoko?" asked Rin. "...last year, when the elections were happening, I was doing some pieces on all the nonsense these guys get away with. Ginmaru didn't like that, and so he cut me from the news program altogether. So I started posting them to my own blog. And well..." Hiyoko opened the bag she'd been carrying, and it was full of medicine. "There are...quite a few things wrong with my body. The kind that requires quite a few different meds. But one day at the end of last year, I took some pills from my locker. I ended up with stomach cramps worse than any I'd ever dealt with. Coupled with all the other things wrong with me, I was in the hospital for weeks." "Good God, that's horrible. Did they ever find out what happened?" "Nope. The police took the pills for testing. Months later and I still haven't heard anything." "What'd I tell you, Rin? These bastards can make shit just disappear. I've heard from some people that they saw Taikutsu walking around tossing a pill bottle up in the air. Of course nobody that could be pressured will do anything, so the little shit basically got away with poisoning. It's unreal what these freaks can get away with." said Shūjo.

Lunch passed, and the students started walking back to class. Rosemary turned to Rin. "Ringo. I need you to meet with me after school. Tenko, I want you to come too." "Hm? Me? What for?" Tenko asked. "Rin. What we talked about yesterday, it is time to begin the quest." She looked over and saw Taikutsu with the others from his table. "He will do nicely." said Rosemary.

After classes had concluded, the girls returned to their dorm. "OK, what's with all the secrecy, Rosie?" asked Tenko. "We're getting to that, Tenko. I'm just gonna warn you now, though: you're about to see some things that you won't even believe." said Rin. "Let me ask you one thing, Tenko: do you desire to keep your friends from harm?" Rose asked. "Well, yeah, I mean of course." "And do you wish to see the one responsible for harming your friend punished?" "This about that weasel Taikutsu? Well in any case I'd like nothing more than to see him get what's coming to him." "Very well. Then let us not waste any more time."

Rose took out a phone. "To begin, I have procured a lock of hair from the D-Bag in question. By the way, I meant to ask this earlier, but what exactly is a 'D-Bag'? Are there bags pertaining to the other letters of the Latin alphabet?" Neither of the girls knew quite how to answer that. "Well, I mean, you see--" stuttered Tenko. "We're getting off-track here." said Rin. "Apologies. Let us get back to it." Rose pressed a button on the phone, and a green light appeared from it to scan the lock of hair. "Ah, yes. There are the coordinates. Let us go." "Wait is that some kinda fancy GPS thing? We gonna go beat him up at his house or some--" said Tenko. Rose pressed another button, and another light appeared, this one causing a door to materialize. Rin and Tenko looked stunned. "Shall we?" asked Rose. "...did y'all book me on one of those practical joke shows?" asked a bewildered Tenko. The girls entered the doorway.

On the other side of the doorway was what appeared to be a large pagoda, with the words "Taikutsu Den" scrawled across the top. The sky was a warped palette of red and green. Rin noticed that she was now wearing the shihakusho once more. Rose's eyes had returned to their original yellow coloration. Tenko was looking at everything, utterly speechless. "...what did you slip into my lunch, Rosie?" she said flatly.

"This place has been designated as 'Tartarus'. This is where the thoughts and feelings of all mankind gather, where the conscious and the unconscious intersect. And within this realm lie the Palaces: distortions given form, reflecting the warped worldview of certain individuals whose perception of the world has been altered in some way. This is one of those Palaces, specifically that of one Taikutsu Kyōshinja. What we are here to do is seek out the source of the distortion, and cleanse it from here. To put it simply: we are here to purify his heart." Rose explained.

"OK, OK, time out!" Tenko interrupted. "I have so many questions! What's with all this magic stuff, why did your eyes change, what the heck is Rin-Rin wearing, and what did you slip me before this?!" "Calm down, Tenko. I told you it'd be a lot to take in." "That's putting it lightly! And what was that about 'purifying his heart'?! How's that even supposed to work?" "This is where the Persona comes in." said Rose. "The guise that one takes upon conquering themselves, that aids in combatting life's challenges...that is the Persona. The threats within this world are numerous, and powerful. Only through using the power you've obtained can you overcome these threats."

Tenko raised her hand. "Hey, uhhh, so where could I get one of these fancy Persona thingies? There a store around here or something?" "It is not something nearly so simple. To attain the Persona, you must confront the enemy that dwells within. Confront thoughts that you may not even be cognizant of. Trust me, before this day is done...you will understand." "Really a fan of the foreboding tone, aren't we?" "Just stay close behind us. If things go bad, we'll take care of it." said Rin.

The girls approached the building's entrance. The gates were guarded by a pair of red-clad ninjas, who were letting off a dark aura. "Seriously? These guys are so well-off they can afford ninjas?" said Rin. "These are products of Kyōshinja's cognition. They are not physical beings, but rest assured they can hurt you all the same." "Great, so I can just run in and cut them down, right?" "The direct approach is not always the best, Ringo. I believe I may prove useful here." "Huh? What're you gonna--"

Rose snapped her fingers, and suddenly a being radiating a dark aura appeared behind her. It resembled a marionette of a woman, purple with unruly grey hair. "What the--?!" began Tenko before Rin covered her mouth. "Don't give us away with a freakout! And as for this...you've got one of those too?!" "Huh? Is that what a Persona is?" asked Tenko. "You are correct. This is Calcabrina, my Persona. And with it...I will clear the path forward." Rose motioned towards the guards. Her Persona released a number of transparent strings from its hands, making contact with one of the guards. The guard suddenly turned towards his comrade, and swiftly cut him down, causing him to dissipate into shadow. The girls approached the gate. The still-controlled guard opened the gate using a nearby lever. "Thank you for your aid. Now, commit seppuku." said Rose. The guard plunged his sword into his chest, causing him to fall over and dissipate.

"So, how exactly are we supposed to change this guy's heart?" Rin asked. "There is something in the center of the Palace. Something related to the distortion within his soul. We have to retrieve it. But in all likelihood, it will be heavily guarded. So that is why we must--"

"Well well well. I didn't realize I had a rat infestation in my castle."

The girls were caught off guard. They were inside a large room lined with pillars, as well as a second floor. Ninjas had swarmed the entire room, weapons drawn. And on the top floor, wearing red warlord-style armor, was Kyōshinja. His eyes were glowing yellow.

"Rebellious girls strolling around my quarters. How deplorable." he said with a distorted voice. "Kyōshinja?! You're here, too? What's with the getup?" asked Tenko. "Don't be fooled. That is not his true self. This is his Shadow. A manifestation of his inner consciousness." said Rose.

"Dirty girls shouldn't speak out of turn in the king's presence. Don't they teach manners any more?" he said. "What would you know about politeness, freak?" Rin asked. "Such utter lack of respect in the presence of greatness. Only one thing you strumpets will respond to. Take them!" The ninjas swarmed. "All right, been waiting for this. Get back, Tenko!" shouted Rin. "Let's go, Karas!" Her Persona appeared, grabbing Tenko and disappearing into shadow. Dropping her away from the fighting, it disappeared again. "Hey, wait u--" Tenko began, before being grabbed from behind.

Rin was fighting off the ninjas, when her Persona reappeared, picking her up to where the ninjas couldn't reach. However, more manifested above her, and gang tackled her to the ground. Rose, meanwhile, was controlling several ninjas, and attempting to fend off the rest. "Nngh...too...many..." Her control waned, and she too was subdued.

Kyōshinja's Shadow had made his way to the lower level, holding Tenko at knifepoint. "See what happens when you broads get bright ideas about rebelling? Breaking and entering, spreading nasty lies about people...you're all better off just laying down and learning your place. Maybe that way your precious friends won't get hurt...isn't that right, Kitsunezaru?"

"Always gotta be hovering around them, sticking your nose in business you don't belong in. No wonder Mirai wants nothing to do with you anymore. You save his sorry butt from a mess you made, and the minute he does something you don't like, you try to reign him back in. How many of your little friends have you gotten hurt, anyway? You girls DO know it's her fault our dear miss Hiyoko got the bug, right? All those nasty lies she was spreading about Kyohei...it might've been Hiyoko's site, but it was this chick's words. And so, I gave her a little warning dose. A little reminder that Kyohei Ishimaru is someone you don't screw with." "You bastard!" Tenko yelled. "Shut your mouth! Me, a bastard? I damn near added an extra dose to that little concoction. It could've been so much worse than a stomach ache. You should be thanking me for my mercy!" "You are SO full of shit!" snapped Rin.

Tenko slumped her head. "It...it really is my fault, isn't it...Hiyoko, and Jin...I promised I'd keep them safe, but they got hurt because of me..." "That's right, let's peel back all those layers. Just how it should be." Kyōshinja gloated. "Don't listen to this asshole, Tenko!" Rin shouted. "Huh?......no. You're right. They didn't get hurt because of me. These pieces of shit decided on their own to hurt them. I...I've had enough of this. Enough of creeps like you thinking they can hurt people and get away with it. And I'm SICK...and TIRED...of that SHIT-EATING GRIN ON YOUR FACE!!!" "Huh?!" The Shadow reeled in surprise.

'My, you've kept me waiting.'

Tenko reeled. She began struggling in apparent pain. The voice, so much like her own, continued.

'You see now what needs to be done, don't you? The need to keep them safe, is the need to wipe clean the scum infesting the world around you. To be the shield, you must become the sword. Such is the desire of the other you that dwells within. Do you understand me?'

"Yeah. I understand you completely."

'Very good. Then, let us forge a pact.'

The pain intensified, and the force of Tenko struggling was enough to knock the Shadow away. Tenko grabbed her head.

'I am thou, thou art I...the world has become dark with the hateful desires of the wicked. To protect those you cherish from these sinful desires, thou must become their unmoving shield. From this moment forward, let this solemn vow be the shield that vanquishes the dark!'

Tenko's eyes opened, revealing a yellow colouration. With a yell, she became enveloped in blue flames. "What the hell?!" shouted the Shadow.

When the flames faded, Tenko was garbed in viking-style leather and chainmail. Behind her was a ghostly woman with bright orange hair, yellow eyes, golden armor, and a brilliant golden shield. The Shadow panicked. "Don't just stand there, kill them all!" The ninja army lunged at Tenko, only for the woman to appear in front of her. When the army struck the shield, a bright light enveloped the room, causing the ninjas, including those holding the girls, to dissipate. More ninjas appeared, only for Tenko to leap above the shieldmaiden, sword in hand, and cut them down. She stood up.

"Think I'm some floosie that's gonna lay down and let you hurt my friends? Think again, dirtbag." "Bitch--!" More guards manifested, and the Shadow made a break for it. "I'm not gonna stand by and watch anymore. Anyone who hurts my friends is going to feel my boot against their neck. Me and Brunnhilde are gonna make sure of that!" She cut down the remaining guards.

Rin and Rose got back up. "Whoa..." Rin uttered. "This is...remarkable." said Rose. Tenko sheathed her blade, and her Persona faded out. "Guess this is what you were talking about, huh Rosie? Feels even better than I thought it would. Hey, Rin-Rin. You know how this works. If you're gonna go after these guys, you're gonna need a shield. And maybe some extra stabby stabby." "So...guess this means you're on board?" "Two-hundred percent. That's what besties are for, after all."

"So, what are we gonna do about that weasel?" Tenko asked. "We're going to head back and regroup, for now. The next phase of the plan needs to be performed back in the normal realm." said Rose. She pressed a button on her phone, the door reappeared, and the girls left.

The girls returned to their dorm. "Well...not exactly how I saw the first day of classes going." said Tenko. "Ditto. So, what's next? We gonna go put that freak in his place before he squeals?" said Rin. "You do not need to fear that. As I said, that was not Kyōshinja himself, merely his Shadow. The real one has absolutely no knowledge of what transpired." said Rose. "OK, so...why did we need to come back?" Rin asked.

"As I had predicted, we cannot progress towards the source of the distortion quite yet. The only way to make it appear is to notify the host in some way that something is amiss." "OK, so...we're just supposed to walk up to him and say 'yo, we're gonna take your heart from your weird ghost self now', is what you're suggesting." said Tenko. "Nothing so brazen. Leaving a message for him would suffice."

"Well...leave that bit to me, then." said Rin. "I'm not a four-time defending city writing contest champion for nothing. Give me some time, and I can cook something up 'real' nice." "Right on, Rin-Rin. Gotta use an alias, though...something mysterious and cool. Something like, I dunno, 'the Phantom Thieves'." said Tenko. "I like it...but I think it's taken." said Rin. "In any case, just give me the night and I'll make the sweetest art you can imagine."

"Welp, guess we're gonna be breaking for today. How about we go get some grub before it starts to get all spooky out?" said Tenko. "Guess it can't hurt. How about it, Rose?" "I suppose there would be no harm in that." "Right on! Today, we eat. Tomorrow, we kick scumbag butt!" said an ecstatic Tenko. She and Rin started walking.

Rose paused for a moment. "Hmmm. This feeling...this is what they call 'friendship', is it not? Hm..." She followed after Rin and Tenko.

A figure emerged from around the wall. It was Shūjo. "The hell was that all about...?" he wondered.

\---

3 MONTHS AGO

NARUKI GENERAL HOSPITAL, ROOM 15B

Shūjo was seated in a chair, asleep.

"Oy, wake up. Waaaake uuuuuup."

He stirred awake. Seated in the bed was Hiyoko. "Anyone ever tell you you sound like a pig when you sleep?" she said. "Some have. You, mainly. Several times." "Bit snippy this morning, aren't we?" "You bring that out in me."

"So, any more stomach pains?" "Ahh...not really. Actually got something of a good night's sleep. No bathroom trips at all." "Good. Cuz if there's one thing I don't need more of, it's your shit." Shūjo had a cheeky grin when he said this. Hiyoko playfully stuck her tongue out.

"You know, you don't have to stay around here 24/7, JoJo. Grab yourself a bite, or something. I'll be OK for a few hours." As if on cue, her expression changed, and she put her hand over her mouth. "Oh boy. That isn't a good look." Shūjo grabbed a wastebasket and handed it to her. After a short while, she calmed back down. "All better now?" he asked. She nodded. "OK. Don't work yourself up more than you need to. Take another nap if you have to. I'll be back in a few." She nodded again, and laid back down. After she had fallen asleep, Shūjo went into the bathroom and changed his clothes. As he left, he heard a voice. "Hey, JoJo?" said Hiyoko. "Hm?" "...thank you." "...don't mention it." He walked out.

As he walked down the hall, he thought to himself. "That girl...she has enough to deal with already. Doesn't need whatever garbage those fucks gave her added to it. To do that to someone like that...it's unforgivable."

He stepped into the elevator. He was sweating, and pulled up his shirt to wipe away the sweat from his face. Underneath his shirt, displayed across his chest, was a large, black snake tattoo.

"People like that...can't be forgiven."

\---

AUGUST 23, 2019

NARUKI ASCENSION ACADEMY

"You sure this is gonna work?" asked Tenko. It was lunch period, and the girls were staring down at the courtyard from one of the second floor classrooms. Sitting on a bench, saying some snide remark to nearly everyone who passed by, was Kyōshinja. "Uggh, you can feel the douchebaggery from up here." Rin quipped. "Is that what 'D-bag' stands for, Ringo? What exactly is this 'douche', and why are their bags synonymous with terrible humans?" Rose asked. "...I'll tell you when you're older." "How much older, exactly? Because technically speaking I am currently older than when you first made that statement." "Focus, people!" said Tenko.

"Apologies. Now then, Ringo, do you have the message?" "Course I do. Gotta say I'm pretty proud of this one. Now how are we gonna get it down to him without him knowing it's us?" "Leave that to me." said Rose.

Rose took the letter, and then promptly tossed it like a shuriken towards Kyōshinja. It landed right beside him, much to his shock. He looked up, but the girls had already moved out of sight. He looked at the letter.

Taikutsu Kyōshinja, For the past three years, innocent students have been made to suffer under your wrath for ultimately inconsequential reasons. Rest assured that your crimes have not gone unnoticed, nor will they go unpunished. As such, we have resolved to bleach your soul clean, until you have no other desire than to confess to your sins. You have been warned. -The Shinigami Order

"What the hell is this?!" he said in disbelief. "Some high and mighty morons think they can threaten me?! And 'Shinigami Order'? Am I supposed to buy that the gods of death are coming for me cuz of a little poison?" His Shadow, deep inside his Palace, repeated the sentiment. "These morons just don't get it. Whole departments live and die at my leisure. Some petty thieves won't be taking that away from me." He crumpled up the note and tossed it.

The girls peeked back out. "Did it work?" asked Tenko. Rose looked at her phone. "Ah, there it is. Security levels within his Palace have been upped to 100%. He knows we are coming." "So what now?" "Let us meet up again after school. From there, we end this."

The school day passed, and the girls gathered in a deserted classroom. "You catch a look at that wormy moron at all? Dude reeks of paranoia." said Tenko. "By the way, Rin-Rin..." "Yeah?" "That name you gave our little squad..." "Oh, that? Well, you can't really spread the fear if you don't have a name to do it. What better way to get the point across than to make these lunks believe the gods of death are coming for them?" "Not saying it's not a great name. Just saying that it's such an author thing to come up with." "In any case..." Rose interrupted, "Let us make haste. The real Kyōshinja knows that something is amiss. If we do not act fast, he may seek retribution upon whoever he can." "Yeah. And it doesn't take a scientist to figure out who he'd go after first." added Rin. "OK. Let's go dish out some good old-fashioned karmic justice."

Rose opened the doorway, and the girls entered. Immediately after, Shūjo entered the room. Surprised but undeterred, he also entered the door.

The girls appeared in front of the pagoda. "His security must be gathered inside. Let us hurry, but be extremely cautious." said Rose. The girls hurried inside. Shortly after, Shūjo passed through the door. "What the actual hell...?" He was so speechless at what he was seeing that he failed to notice the pair of ninja guards who had appeared behind him.

The girls made their way through the Palace, with no resistance whatsoever. "Talk about your cold receptions. All that hoopla and there's barely anyone here." said Rin. "I don't have a good feeling about this..." added Tenko. Suddenly, a distorted laugh could be heard coming from the intercom system. "Well, it appears that uppity girls are what pass for death gods nowadays. It's to be expected when you give the sheep of the world bright ideas. Oh, well." "That voice...! Kyōshinja, you slime! Get out here and face the music!" yelled Rin. "Yes, keep making demands you're in no position to make. In case you haven't noticed, I make the rules here. And my rules decree..." Suddenly, purple smoke began to fill the room. "...that appearances at sporting events are mandatory!" As the room filled with smoke, the girls each passed out.

When they awoke, they found themselves in an underground stadium that was empty save for themselves. Rin tried to get up, but they had been tied down. She looked up, and saw a gigantic cloud of fog covering the top of the stadium. In the center of the stadium was the Shadow. "Welcome to the illustrious Emperor Kyōshinja's latest bout of gladitorial combat! We have a very special fight card set up for you, dear audience, as you will get to watch yet another pitiful hero of justice meet his end at the hands of a superior opponent!"

"First, the home team! The thousand strong Legion of the Emperor!" Countless ninja guards manifested. "And now, for our brainless sacrifice, in all his true glory!" Rising up via an elevator, was Shūjo. He was standing, held in place by chains tied to his arms, and was devoid of his shirt, laying bare the snake tattoo across his chest. "JoJo?!" exclaimed Tenko. "How did he even get in here?! And that tattoo..." added Rin.

"Grrr...what the hell is all this, you bastard?! I knew you were fucked in the head but this takes it to new extremes!" growled Shūjo. "Hahahahahaha, as if you have any room to throw insults at me, you hypocritical rat! Or is that little mark on your chest just to impress the ladies?" "Tch..." "Nothing else to say, huh? Well that's alright. I don't expect much from someone who takes the side of that harpy."

Rin noticed that there was an odd noise coming from the fog, almost like moaning. "That moaning...is that...Hiyoko?" "Hmmmm, very perceptive." said the Shadow. "The ever-present fog over my soul, that harpy. All those nasty little lies, all that moaning about her illness, and yet she has the nerve to call me disgusting! If only she'd thrown herself on me when I gave her the opportunity, she might not have ended up with nuclear insides for those weeks." "Piece of shit...!" growled Shūjo, who was struggling even more to break free from his chains. "Heeee, touched a nerve, did I? But your little insults won't do you any good here. All it is is petty insults from a petty little man. Only one person here's spent the night in a prison cell, and it sure isn't me, JoJo."

"...call me out on whatever. I don't care. I deserve it for being such a screw-up. But none of the shit I've done gives you any right to hurt Hiyoko like you did!" The Shadow laughed. "I'm sorry, I'm just laughing over how the actual criminal is giving me lessons on morality. Since you're not making it out of this any time soon, I'll let you in on the lesson I've prepared for our dear miss Hiyoko."

"You see, that little letter of yours was cute. But not so cute that I would just ignore its warning. So I took a guess, and delivered a little warning shot. I found the nicest bit of cyanide I could find, and dabbed it onto a letter of my own. That letter is currently sitting in Hiyoko's mailbox as we speak." The group looked shocked. "Is he being serious...?!" said Tenko. "What is wrong with this man...?" added Rose. "So, it's going to be another trip to the ER for your little girlfriend. Only this time, she probably isn't going to be exiting in anything other than a wooden box. If only she'd learned when to keep her trap shut." "You little shit! I'm gonna kill you so hard!" yelled Shūjo. "Unfortunately, you're in no position to give me orders. But, I'm in a rather generous mood today, so I'll make you a deal. Be my hired gun. Go after the people I need going after. And maybe, I'll see that that letter never reaches her hands."

"Don't worry yourself, JoJo. You'll settle all your debts in no time. Too bad your life will be in complete shambles by then!" The Shadow cackled to himself. "...thank you, Kyōshinja." "Hm? Are you actually going to agree to my demands?" "Oh, hell no. I'd sooner die than take orders from you." He rose his head. "I wanted to thank you for giving me absolutely no reason to let you live." "Tch, stubborn little worm. Be that way. But don't worry. You and the harpy will be sharing a lava pool in Hell soon enough!" He snapped his fingers, and the guards all drew their weapons.

"...so this is what I get for all the shit I've pulled, huh? Karma straight from a weasel like you? Well, if you think I'm gonna just lay down and take it, you're wrong. I'm a warrior, dammit. So I'm gonna go out like one: staring you right in the face, and telling you TO GO FUCK YOURSELF!

'Finally ready to embrace your true self, are we?'

Shūjo's eyes widened. He began struggling in pain.

'Hiding your true nature has availed you nothing. Only through accepting the truth can you rend this blustering fool asunder. The you that dwells within desires it thus.'

Shūjo opened his eyes, which were now yellow.

'There is the look I was hoping for. Now, my cursed liege, let us forge a contract.'

'I am thou, thou art I...only through the river of strife can you reach the ultimate prosperity. Now accept my power, so that we may escort the cowardly wretches of the world to the fiery beyond!'

Shūjo broke out of the chains, shattering them. He let out a roar, and was consumed by blue flames. "What the hell, this one too?!" griped the Shadow. When Shūjo appeared, he was clothed in a black trenchcoat adorned with chains and a giant anchor symbol on the back. Behind him floated a skeletal figure wearing a dark cloak, possessing fiery yellow eyes and riding atop a wooden boat. It wore a chain of golden coins around its neck, and wielded a giant oar. "Your next stop is the underworld, you pile of shit." said Shūjo. "Charon! Sink his ass!" The skeleton's eyes glowed brighter, and a giant wave of lava appeared, engulfing the ninja army as well as the Shadow.

Rin, meanwhile, had managed to break free from her bonds, and proceeded to free Rose and Tenko. "Such incredible raw power..." Rose noted. The girls leapt from the stands and ran to Shūjo. The Shadow rose up, trembling and heavily damaged. "You tried to hurt an innocent girl, then came up with every excuse in the book to justify it. But there's no hiding your garbage from me. You tried to destroy my friend for nothing. Now it's your turn." said Shūjo.

The Shadow got to his knees. Aahahahaha...is that right? You still think...you have a chance? You still...don't get it. I'm the one in control. I make the rules here. And I won't let you, or that miserable harpy destroy everything I've worked to achieve! I'll see you all burn before that happens!" Shadows began to swarm around him, combining and building up into a gigantic mass. Eventually, they congregated into the form of a giant, red toad, its giant tongue constantly out.

"Grahahahahahahaha! Look at how tiny you all are! You're all going to fit nice and snug inside my stomach! Now DIE!" Warts on the toad's back began to erupt flames, which were then directed towards the group. Tenko jumped in front. "Come on, Brunnhilde!" Her Persona appeared, and blocked the flames with her shield. "I dunno how you pulled it off, but you've managed to get even uglier than before." Shūjo quipped. The Shadow ceased spewing flames. "You worms don't know when to quit, do you?! Hmmm...? Where'd the redhead run off to?"

Rin then appeared in a burst of shadowy feathers atop the Shadow's head. "Boo." She then plunged her sword into the toad's head, causing him to react violently. He shook about, as Rin held on for dear life. Eventually, she leapt off with the sword. "Where do you think you're--?!" The toad turned and saw Shūjo running at him. Surrounding his hand in flames, he punched the toad right in his underbelly. This began a rapid flurry of punches directed at the same spot, ending with Shūjo summoning forth the boatman to swat the Shadow upwards with his oar. Once he hit the fog, he began screaming in agony. "GRAAAAAH! NO, GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OOOOOOOFFFFF!" The contact caused the toad to build up and explode in a cluster of shadow. The Shadow, now returned to human form, fell back to the ground.

The group looked up, and saw that the fog had dissipated. "Did we do it?" asked Tenko. Rose looked at her phone. "The distortion levels...appear to have plummeted. I think it is done." Shūjo walked over to the Shadow, who was now whimpering, and stepped onto his stomach. "Give me one good reason why I should let you live. Clock's ticking." Rose walked over. "Stop. Nothing will be gained from further violence. He will not be a problem any longer. Isn't that right?" The Shadow whimpered. "P-please, don't...I just couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand that girl saying all those horrible things about a friend. Surely you must understand? It's the natural, human thing to do..." Shūjo increased the weight he put on his foot. "Natural humans don't try to commit murder over small stuff like this, dumbass. Just face it, you couldn't stand that a girl was giving you the finger, and wanted to teach her a lesson. That about sums it up?" "Y-yes...you're right. I...I'll confess to everything. I won't bother you all anymore. Not that I'll last long once the truth gets out..." he dissappeared into shadow.

The palace began to shake, as if an earthquake were happening. "The hell's going on now?!" asked Shūjo. "With the distortion erased, the palace has lost the main source of its energy. It's collapsing in on itself. We must make haste." The four made a break for it, returning to the entrance, where Rose used her phone to open the doorway, allowing them to exit.

Back in the real world, the group caught their breaths. "A fine display. Now, it is simply a matter of waiting." said Rose. "OK, could someone here politely enlighten me on what any of that was?!" Shūjo demanded. "I'll fill you in later." said Tenko. Then, Shūjo's eyes widened. "Oh shit...! Hiyoko!" He ran for it. "Crap, that's right! We've gotta hurry!" said Rin. The girls gave chase.

They arrived at the girls' dorm, just as Hiyoko was about to grab the mail. "Oh, hey all. What's going--" "Don't touch the mail!" Shūjo yelled. "Eh? What for?" "That letter has been tainted with poison. Please, let me dispose of it." Rose, wearing gloves, carefully grabbed the letter and placed it into a plastic bag. "This will need to be taken for testing, after what is to come." "Umm, you all want to fill me in?" Hiyoko asked. "It's a long story." said Shūjo.

Before leaving, the girls pulled Shūjo aside. "So, what the Shadow was saying...about you being a criminal." said Rin. Shūjo was silent for a moment. He motioned towards his chest. "This is...part of a past life. This is my reminder to never screw up again. I was so ashamed of people seeing it, so ashamed by what it represents. But I realized something back there. This is part of who I am. And if I needed to be a screwup before getting it together, then that's how it was supposed to go. I shouldn't have to hide any part of myself just cuz of what people might think." Rin was silent at this. "Anyway, that's all done now. I'm gonna stay around here for the night in case Kyōshinja tries anything funny. We'll see how tomorrow goes."

The girls returned to their room. "So, it's just a matter of waiting now, right?" Rin asked. "Yes. By tommorow he should experience a full change of heart. He will confess to everything." said Rose. "Ooooh, I can't wait to see the look on that little creep's face!" said Tenko. "Well, unfortunately I won't be able to see it for myself." said Rin. "I have some errands to take care of tomorrow. I'm gonna be leaving early, too, so I'm probably gonna miss out." "Aww, shoot. Well OK then. Guess that just means more bonding time with Rosie." "I see no issue with that. I have some queries I would like you to help me with."

Rin returned to her room. She took off her jacket, revealing her bandages. "*sigh*. Whirlwind wouldn't even begin to describe all this..." She picked up a photo on her nightstand of Tohru. "If all this craziness'll help get you your justice, Tohru, then I just have to push through it."

She looked at her bandages. She thought back to what Shūjo had said. 'I shouldn't have to hide any part of myself just cuz of what people might think.' "Is it...really that easy?"

She sat on her bed. She put her head in her hands. She thought of her brother, and her arms. And she wept.

"No. Not that easy. Not for me."


	2. "Puppet Girl's Thesis on Love"

THE VELVET ROOM

TIME UNDETERMINED

Farquhar sat at his desk, scribbling something in his notes. Then, he got a notification on his phone. It was from Rosemary.

I have a report to give.

He answered her back.

Excellent. Can you give me the subject?

I have been conducting research on the true nature of love.

Curious. So, what have you found?

He awaited a response.

\---

AUGUST 23, 2019

KARAKURA TOWN, JAPAN

The doors of the train car opened, and Rin stepped out. As she walked towards the exit, she felt a familiar presence.

"I see you have been keeping well."

She turned to where the voice came from. Standing up against a pillar, reading a newspaper bearing a headline pertaining to an imminent eclipse, was Farquhar. "I see you like to keep up a brand." He motioned towards her shirt, which bore a stylized image of an apple wearing sunglasses. "Love what you've done with your hair, also." "What do you want?" "Just checking in on my favorite Fool." "You keep calling me that, are you trying to insult me?" "Oh, far from it. I refer to this." He took out a tarot card which bore an image of a jester, that read "The Fool". "Although, it would seem to be more than just one now..." He motioned, and two more cards emerged from behind The Fool. One bore an image of a man standing alongside two women, with what appeared to be Cupid aiming an arrow towards one of the women. It read "The Lovers". The second one showed a man hanging upside down from a tree branch. It read "The Hanged Man."

Rin was confused for a moment, but after some thought came to understand. Tenko and Shūjo. "These represent the bonds you have forged along your path." "OK. Did you just come to play a card game or something?" "How is my Rosemary doing?" "Rosie? Uhhh...hard to tell, really. She's not exactly easy to read." "Hmm...that is not surprising. It's not her fault. I raised her in a sterile environment free from most outside influences." He was playing around with another card, this one featuring a regal-looking woman. It read "The High Priestess".

"I agreed to let her go on this venture because I want her to experience what the real world truly is. I can imagine that these experiences and emotions must feel alien to her. She isn't a robot, simply learning as she goes. Give her time, I'm sure she will learn much from you and your friends." "Who are you, exactly?" "Just an inquisitive fellow. Nothing more, and nothing less."

Rin turned to leave. "Where are you going, exactly?" "I'm visiting someone." "Well, send Rosemary all of my love when you return home. Perhaps she can help you work through your issues regarding your bandages." Rin's eyes widened, and she turned back, but Farquhar had already vanished. "How did he...ugh. Creepy." She walked away.

\---

NARUKI CITY, JAPAN

"Come on, at least listen to my--" The door shut. As it has so many times before. It had been days since Jin had gotten any positive response. He knew his pitch was lacking. And he knew it was getting worse. Less people were listening. How could they? Everyone either already owned the cable service he was peddling, or were satisfied with their own.

His boss was getting on about his lack of results. But still, they shuffled him out there. Exhaustion was building. Now that school had started, the added stress of walking around the city pushing cable was starting to take its toll. But he knew that if there was no sale, there would be no pay.

He hated this. But he felt it would work out in the end. It had to.

He needed it to. For her. Even if she couldn't stand it.

So he persisted. Only seven more hours of this to go.

\---

NARUKI ASCENSION ACADEMY

"OK, Rosie, you all ready for some adventure?" asked Tenko. "I...believe so." Rose answered. "Umm, while wearing that?" Rose was still wearing her school uniform. "Is there something wrong?" "Just, you know, we're not headed to class. Kind of don't need to go with the uni." "Apologies. I do not have any other clothes." "Wait, seriously? You don't have anything other than uniforms? Hold on...did you sleep in that thing?!" "Is that also a problem?" "Oh dear GOD. Alright, first stop is the closest clothing palace we can find."

The girls left their room. "Oy." Shūjo and Hiyoko approached. "Um, Rose, you do know that there's no school today, yes?" Hiyoko asked. "Our little fashion disaster here doesn't have any other clothes. So we're gonna go fix that after our meal." said Tenko. "Rin not coming with?" asked Shūjo. "Nope. She had some personal stuff to take care of, so it's just gonna be the Fearsome Foursome today."

Suddenly, the door opened. Kyōshinja walked through, with a nervous look on his face. "This guy--!" growled Shūjo. "What is it now, cretin?" Hiyoko demanded. Then, Kyōshinja dropped to his knees. "Please...forgive me!" "Wha--?!" "I have done you so much harm. I've nearly cost you your life. I can't live with myself anymore. I'm turning myself in to the police and confessing everything. But before I go, I needed you to know how horrible I feel about all of this. I know that what I've done is unforgivable. If you hate me forever, that's fine, I deserve it. I just...needed you to know...how sorry I am..." He got up, and lurched away.

The group was stunned. "What...just happened?" Hiyoko asked. "He seemed like...a totally different person..." added Tenko. Rose kept quiet.

Shortly after, the group departed. They first ventured to the Yamada café. They got their meals and sat at a table. "So, Rosie..." began Tenko. "You said you had some things you wanted to ask?" "Oh, yes...I have already spoken about my desire to better understand human emotion. There is one emotion in particular that I am curious about, that even in my readings I don't fully understand..."

"Would you all...teach me what love is?"

The three looked surprised. "You want us...to tell you about love?" asked Shūjo. "I know this is a bizarre request, but my research has been so varied that I cannot find one definitive answer." "Well, I mean...there really isn't one." said Hiyoko. "The most basic thing I can say is that it's an attraction to something. It could be to a kind of food, or a hobby, or to another person. I guess...it's like wanting really hard to keep something safe." "I see...so Shūjo, is what you feel towards Hiyoko love?" Shūjo was shocked by this. "Guh?! Where'd that come from?!" "You appeared enraged by any implication that she could be harmed. And you kept watch over her last night." "Well, yeah, of course...that's just me being protective..." He started turning red. Hiyoko started look flustered too. "I-I guess that friendship can be a form of love." she stuttered.

"I feel like I am understanding a bit better, but...would you all be able to provide a visual?" Rose asked. "A visual, for love? Hmm..." said Shūjo. "I...don't know what it would look like." said Tenko. "It's just one of those things, you'd know it when you saw it."

"In any case, how about we get to work on that wardrobe?" Tenko asked. "Hmm. I suppose so." said Rose. She felt as if Tenko was trying to dodge the subject, as if she knew where it would lead. Still, she said nothing. They left, and went to the closest designer clothing shop. "OK, now where to begin...?" Tenko pondered. "I honestly don't mind. Except...it needs to be velvet." said Rose. "Guess that's just your signature, huh?" Shūjo quipped.

Tenko began hurriedly gathering clothing options. "OK! I couldn't find a lot of velvet but I grabbed some purple and blue. Let's see how they look." "Very well." Rose started to take off her uniform. "HOLY SHIT!" exclaimed Shūjo. "Dressing room, silly, dressing room!" said a panicked Hiyoko.

They ushered Rose into the dressing room. She cycled through the clothes, with the other three either giving a yea or nay response. The final outfit was a velvet sundress with accompanying images of flowers on the bottom. "Cuuuuuute." said Tenko. Rose looked in the mirror. "So, whaddya think?" Hiyoko asked. "I find this...very appealing. It fills me with...a sort of happiness. It's strange...since I met you all, I have experienced things I've never experienced before. I'm unsure how I'm supposed to react to it all..." "Well, we can always help out with that. It's what friends are for, after all." said Tenko. "Friends...yes. You're right. Thank you." Rose smiled as she said this. "Hunh. First I've seen that." quipped Shūjo.

After scouring through several more shops, the girls returned home. "You should be all set for now, Rosie. No more sleeping in your uniform or anything like that." said Tenko. "Thank you, Tenko. Today was...very enlightening for me. Although...perhaps too much of it was spent with that puppy..." "You can never spend too much time with a puppy." Tenko looked at her phone. "Hunh. Rin-Rin just texted me. Said she's gonna stay over with her mom for the night and be back tomorrow. Aww, was looking forward to some more personal time..."

"Well anyway, it's getting a bit dark. How about we go grab some dinner?" "I would like that." "Great! Oh, grab an umbrella before we go. It's supposed to start raining in a while."

The girls got their dinner, and as they returned home it did indeed start to rain. They arrived back at the school. As they walked towards the dorm, they noticed what appeared to be someone laying down on a bench. "Who would be laying on a bench like that at this hour, with this weather?" Rose asked. "Probably drunk off their ass. Only thing I can come up with." As they got closer, Tenko's eyes widened. She knew exactly who it was.

"Jin...?" Sure enough, despite the rain pouring down, Jin was fast asleep on the bench. He was still in his work uniform. Tenko wordlessly approached, and put her umbrella up in a way that shielded him the most from the rain. "Why...?"

She checked to see if he was breathing. He was. Rose looked on. "Tenko..." "...I'm not leaving him here. Rosie. Help me out." She directed Rose to help lift up Jin. "Do not worry about me. I can lift him. Just keep him dry." said Rose.

The girls carried the still-unconscious Jin to the boys' dorm. Tenko sifted through his pocket, and found his room key. She opened the door, and they carried Jin to his bed. Rose looked around the room. Plenty of gaming and anime collectables. "He always was a bit of a hoarder..." Tenko commented. Rose looked and saw a gaming console on the ground. "It looks like it hasn't been used in quite a while." Tenko was looking at Jin. "Why do this to yourself, Jin..." She stayed silent for a moment. "Rosie. Get me some clothes from in there. I'm not leaving him in wet clothing." "Is changing him while he's asleep alright?" "I'm. Not. Leaving. Him. Like. This." Sensing her growing frustration, Rose complied.

After a while, the girls left the dormroom. Silence for a moment. "...you need not feel guilty about leaving. You did as much for him as reason will allow. You went beyond, in some ways." Tenko was silent. Then, the tears began to fall. "I can't...I can't take this any more. Does he not care about himself at all...? Why would he keep this up?" Rose was surprised by this. "It hurts...it hurts seeing him like this. I've been at this for so long, but...I can't help him if he doesn't want to help himself..." Rose approached her, and slowly embraced her in a hug. "In my research, I was told that this is the natural response to seeing a friend in pain. Because it does hurt...it hurts me that this hurts you. And I want to make it stop hurting." "Oh, Rosie...thank you. I'm sorry, this was supposed to be the fun day. And I've gone and ended it on a sour note." "You don't need to apologize. In fact, I should be thanking you." "Huh? For what?" "For giving me the visual I wanted. You just dragged someone in from the pouring rain, because it hurts you to see them hurt. If that isn't the definition of love, I don't know what is." Tenko was taken aback, but then gave a sheepish smile through the tears. "Heh...I guess so..."

The girls returned to their room. "Hey, Rosie..." "Hm? What is it?" "When Rin-Rin comes home tomorrow, I want us to do something. I can't go on...like this. Jin isn't going to stop himself until he drops dead. And I can't let that happen. So, what I'm asking is..."

"I want us to do it. I want us...to change Jin's heart. Because if we don't...I'm afraid of what might happen."

Inside his room, Jin had awoken. He held a note in his hand.

"Jin,

I'm not giving up on you.

And you shouldn't either.

Please. - Tenko"

Jin sighed. And then, he wept.

\---

EARLIER IN THE DAY

KARAKURA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Rin sat in a room full of small tables. The place was dull and drab, unsurprising given its nature as a prison. She sat patiently, and fiddled with her necklace. Then, an officer brought in who she had come to see. Walking in was an imposing man with dark hair tied into a ponytail, and a goatee, with tribal-style tattoos across his arms. His prison jumpsuit was dull grey, with his inmate number reading "100504".

The man, who was not wearing handcuffs, sat across from Rin. The two stared each other down for over a minute, unblinking. Then, the man blinked. "Dammit to hell!" he griped. "Heh. Soft as ever, Hyōtan." Rin said. "That's some freaky shit, sis." Hyōtan said back. They got up and embraced in a hug. "Oh my God, you changed your hair back." he said. "Yeah, well, you know." "It looks great. Never liked it brown anyway."

"So, what's new? Mama doing good?" "Mama's doing...better. She puts all her time into the shop but, fruit can only do so much." "Yeah, I got you. You got into Toh's school, right? How's that goin'?" "Alright so far. Only been a few days but I've already made some friends." "Awesome, awesome. Saw your entry in that writing contest in the paper they brought in. You're seriously somethin' else. Showed all the guys here and everything. Baby sis has talent, man." "Oh, stop. Kissing up won't count towards good behavior." "I mean it, sis. That shit can take you places. I keep telling everyone, Toh got the brains, I got the looks. You got both." "I think you're exaggerating on two of the three, Tan."

"So, just a couple more months now, right?" "Yeah. Got the date circled and all that. Three years go by quick." "I know Mama's gonna be thrilled to have you home. I'm gonna stop by the house on the way back. I know the days get harder for her. Especially now it's getting close to a year since...well, you know." "Yeah. They still haven't caught the son of a bitch, right?" "Nope. I'm trying to get to the bottom of it at school. Just don't know where to start." "Eh, you'll figure it out. Anyone's got the brains and hard head to do it, it's you." "Thanks, Tan. All I can do is try."

After some more talk, they hugged each other goodbye. "Seriously, though. Soon as I'm out, I'm taking the staring contest." "Yeah, sure. Day that happens is the day people stop being dumb on the internet." Tan shrugged. "Miracles happen." They said their goodbyes, and Rin left.

As she waited for the train, Rin began messaging Tenko.

Yo. Gonna swing by home first. I'll be back tomorrow morning.

Tenko at first responded with a simple "OK, no problem". However, after boarding the train, Rin received another message.

Try to come early. I want to talk about something.

It's about Jin.

Rin grew concerned.

Did something happen?

Tenko responded quickly.

It might.

Rin let out a sigh. "Never a dull moment..." she said to herself.

\---

3 YEARS AGO

HAKODATE, HOKKAIDO PREFECTURE

"Woof. That didn't go according to plan, did it?" Jin and Tenko were sitting on a bench. It was late, and Tenko had a dejected look on her face. "No. It didn't. I was sloppy." "Don't get too hard on yourself. You just had an off night, that's all." "Well if I want to make Ascension's fencing team I can't afford an off night."

"Listen, Tenko." Jin began. "You work your butt off more than anyone else I know. Ascension would be dumb to not see that. One loss isn't the end of the world. If anything it'll help you get better. My old man's got this saying, about how 'within every adversity lies the seed of an equal or greater benefit'." "Sounds like an old man thing to say..." "What it means is, you take what you learned from this and use it to get better. Do that and you'll be invincible! Or something like that." Tenko chuckled at this. "You don't sound too confident about that last bit. But, thanks, Jin. I feel a bit better now." "Good to hear. Besides, you've got a way better shot at getting into that school than me. I just game all day." "Don't sell yourself so short. You work your butt off in school, too."

A car pulled up. "Oh, there's my ride. Hey, thanks again, Jin." "Anytime. We still up for that festival tomorrow?" "You know it! And this time you're gonna know what it's like to lose at that ping pong game!" "Heh, that'll be the day. I might have to turn in my gaming creds if that happened." Tenko waved goodbye. Jin smiled and waved back.

\---

AUGUST 24, 2019

NARUKI ASCENSION ACADEMY

Jin lay on his bed. He stared at a picture of him and Tenko at the festival three years prior, big smiles on their faces. "How'd I let it go so south?" he said to himself.

\---

Rin opened the door to her dormroom. Tenko, Rose and Shūjo were inside. "Huh? JoJo, you're here too?" she asked. "Yep. Tenko said it was urgent so, here I am." he answered. "OK. Tenko, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

Tenko took a moment to answer. "Since we cleared that scumbag's heart, I've been thinking of something. That if we could do that for some common moron, then maybe we could..." She hesitated. "You want us...to help Jin, right?" Rin asked. "...I know he doesn't want this. He can't want this. But he doesn't know how to change this by himself. So...I don't think there's any other choice. We have to, for his sake. Because I don't know..." Tears began to form. "I don't know how much longer he can keep on like this. He's suffering. And I'm suffering watching him suffer. I'm all out of other ideas. So I asked Rose if it was alright..."

"I checked my tracking systems. Jin does indeed have a Palace. I wanted to check with you to make sure you were fine with going through one so soon after the last." Rose said. "You kidding? From the sound of it we don't have any option but to do it. Time isn't an issue for me." said Rin. "Ditto. Least we can do to help." Shūjo added. "Thanks guys. Sorry to just drop this on you all. One more thing...it has to be today. All of it. Sunday is his only day off. And I don't want him spending another minute in that place. So...we good to go, or what?" Everyone nodded. "Let us proceed, then." said Rose. She pressed the button, and the doorway opened. "We'll make you see, Jin. One way or another." Tenko affirmed. They entered the door.

On the other side, they stood in front of a large, dilapidated building surrounded by a chain link fence. A wooden sign on the front gate read "Sanctuary". "'Sanctuary'? Place looks like a damned prison to me." said Shūjo. They approached the front door, and noticed the words "Keep Out, Dead Inside" graffitied on the front. "Yeah that isn't foreboding or anything." Rin quipped. Rose peered through a nearby window. "What on Earth...?" On the other side, she could see human-like, shadowy figures lurching around slowly. They were all wearing business attire. "Are those...revenants?" she questioned. "Revawhatnow?" Shūjo asked. "Zombies, genius. Zombies wearing business suits. Don't need a psychology degree to figure out what that's supposed to symbolize." said Rin.

"How many do you see?" Tenko asked. "Five from the look of it. All moving slowly. If we strategize for a moment maybe we could--" Shūjo proceeded to tear the door open and ran inside, Rin following behind. "Or do that. We could also do that." said Rose.

The four engaged the zombies, immobilizing them by attacking their heads, and proceeded further into the building. As they ventured further, they noticed several TV screens broadcasting disturbing messages. "Give yourself over to the business!" "Business requires sacrifice!" "9 to 5ers lack ambition!" "Who needs money now? You'll be swimming in it down the line!"

"Christ, this is agitating." Shūjo griped. "Is this really what they've been feeding him?" Rin added. They reached a large open area, with one giant door in the middle labeled "CEO'S OFFICE", while another pathway out was labelled "Cell Block: Where Individuality Goes to Die". The broadcasts started changing their message. "Look at little Jin Mirai. He'll never cut it." "Useless results from a useless sack." "Idiot doesn't realize if he isn't tired, he's not doing it right."

"So we're either getting propaganda bullshit speak or shit insulting Jin. Isn't this supposed to be his world?" Shūjo questioned. "This is his cognition, how he perceives the world around him. Maybe...he truly thinks this about himself." Rose answered. "If that's the case, he's even more fucked in the head than I thought." Tenko, meanwhile, was trying to pry the door open, to no avail. "My guess, that's where the distortion in this place comes from. Meaning we won't be able to open it by force." said Rin. "Guess we've only got one option." She pointed towards the cell block, and they proceeded forward.

The cells were all empty. "Place calls itself Sanctuary and it looks like this. I'm getting more creeped out by the minute." said Shūjo. Then, the silence was broken by the sound of whistling. Surprised, the four approached the cell where the whistling came from.

"Well, well, well...look who decided to pay me a visit."

Inside the cell, eyes glowing yellow, was Jin. He was wearing a dark leather jacket, dark pants and boots, and a red neckerchief. "Hey, all." he said with a distorted voice. "Jin!" shouted Tenko. "Wait...look at the eyes. That isn't him. Not the one we know, anyway." said Rin. "The hell are you doing in a cell?" asked Shūjo. "What's it look like, genius? I'm serving time. For crimes of individuality. This is what happens when you don't agree to become one of those stumbling corpses." "This is your world, Jin. You could just leave whenever you wanted." said Rose. "Oh, I know that. I just don't see a point in it." "You...don't see a point in leaving?" Tenko asked. "Either way, it's not gonna do me any good. I'm a dead man walking. Whether I leave this cage is irrelevant."

"What do you mean you're a dead man walking?" Tenko asked. "I mean what I mean, Tenko-chan. This might come as a surprise, but the human body wasn't built for this level of overworking. And with the added stress of school and the lack of sleep, I'd give it, oh...three days, four tops before my body gives out. After that...poof." "'Poof'. You think this is some kind of joke, Jin?" "Do you see me laughing?" "Then you know what a problem this is. I've seen how this place looks, Jin. I know that you know this is all lies, all something built to tear you down. I don't care if you hate me now, I need you to listen to me."

The Shadow perked up at this. "Hate you? You? What do you think I'm sticking through this crap for?" "What are you talking about?" "Let's see...how's this sound? 'This job is gonna lead to so many open doors for me. I'll be set for life, and I could do anything. Ma won't have to worry about paying for Aimi's schooling, cuz big bro's gonna make it happen. And then...then Tenko-chan won't have to worry about me. Then I can take care of her the way she's taken care of me all these years. I don't get why she hates this so much...I'm doing it for her. I need to see this through, even if it costs me my life...'" Tenko's eyes widened. "You can't be serious...you're willing to have yourself drop dead if there's even a slight chance that it could work out?" The Shadow suddenly appeared outside the cell. "Like I said, it makes no difference. And if I drop dead from this, then so be it. Wouldn't be the first time someone in Japan worked themselves to death. And then everyone could just move on and forget about it."

Now showing irritation, Rin walked over to the Shadow and slapped him across the face. "God damn!" he griped. "You fucking idiot! Do you even hear the garbage you're saying? It would just be so easy for you to roll over and die, right? But you think no one would care? This girl, right here, has done nothing but show how much she cares, how awful this whole thing makes her feel. And then you have the balls to tell her you don't care if you live. You even realize what loss feels like? I had to see my dad and brother die, and not a day goes by where I don't think about it. That shit sticks with you, and it'll stick with her forever if you die. If you care about her so damn much, maybe you'd realize that instead of moping in a cell waiting to die."

The Shadow paused for a moment. "You think I don't realize that?" "Huh?" said a surprised Rin. "I know, everything I've said up to this point is pure bull. But see, I'm not the me you need to convince. I'm not the me that needs the reminder that he has something to live for. You know what needs to be done. And it's gotta be done quick. Otherwise? I'm the one who's gonna be done."

Suddenly, moaning noises sounded from around the hall. "We have to go. We'll send the alert when we get back. Come on." said Rose. They ran to leave. Tenko turned around to the downtrodden Shadow, before turning back and leaving. "Hurry back, Tenko-chan. And bring your shittin' pants with ya." he uttered.

The group returned to the real world. "That...that was bad." said Shūjo. "We need to hurry. Ringo, can you begin on the alert?" Rose asked. "Way ahead of you. I've been working on it in my head since we got there. Give me a few minutes. How are we gonna get this to Jin?" "I'll do it." Tenko answered. "It has to be me. If there's any chance left of convincing him here, then it has to be me. Please." "Very well. Let us proceed, posthaste."

A few minutes later, Rin walked back in with a letter. "Here ya go. Let's hope this works." Tenko ran off with the letter.

She arrived at Jin's dormroom, and knocked on his door. He opened it. "Tenko-chan...?" She put the letter forward. "I don't want to hear any more objections. No arguments. I don't want you to suffer any more for my sake, Jin. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you. So just, read this. Please." He took the letter. Before he could respond, she pulled him into a hug. "You don't need to hide anything anymore. I said I'd keep you safe, and I meant it. I love you, Jin." She began to walk away. "Goodbye, Jin. I hope...not for the last time." After she left, Jin opened the letter.

Jin Mirai, you have been deemed guilty of committing the sin of sloth. As a result of your inaction, you and those close to you have been made to suffer for the sake of an impossible lie. For your sake and those around you, we have resolved to clean your soul without fail. - The Shinigami Order

"What...the hell is this? Shinigami...? I..." Jin looked in the mirror. "What have I done...?" As he looked, the eyes in his reflection turned yellow, and he reeled in surprise. "Wha--?!" Suddenly, a hand reached through the mirror and pulled him inside. He landed inside a jail cell. "What the...where am I?" His Shadow approached him.

"You and me need to have a serious man-to-man talk here, Jin."

By this point, the group had returned to the Palace, and stood in front of the CEO door. When they pulled, it opened. When they entered, the room was massive, and held what looked to be a massive office desk. "Can someone say 'overcompensating'"? Shūjo quipped. Suddenly, from behind the desk, a huge, demonic figure wearing a business suit emerged. "Hnnh...I don't recall having any appointments today." it said with a booming voice. "We're serving you an eviction notice, freak." Shūjo said.

"Oh, dear. More free thinkers walking around. Can't have that, can we?" The demon pressed a button, and a sea of zombies manifested in front of the desk. "Our policies are all-consuming, I'm afraid. And anyone who violates those policies will...well, be consumed." Tenko stepped forward. "I've had just about enough of this shit. Get out of Jin's heart, now!" "And who might you be? His little girlfriend, perhaps?" "And what difference would that make if I was?" "Hmm, a pity then. Just another distraction from his work. No wonder his work has been slipping lately. Aside from him being utterly useless, of course." "Shut up! You're gonna regret those words, freak." "I would love to see you try." The demon snapped his fingers, and the zombies lurched forward.

In the prison cell, Jin observed this on a TV screen. "Like what you're seeing, Jin?" his Shadow asked. "I'm sure this'll do wonders for the old guilt complex." "I...I don't understand any of this. Why is this happening?" "You know damn well why this is happening, Jin. You're so hell bent on proving that you can do this that you haven't stopped to wonder if it's a thing worth doing. Your friends realized that already, and now they're trying to clean up the mess you made."

"Jin. Why aren't you angry?" "Huh?" "The sight you're seeing should fill you with rage, yet all I see is dumbfounded staring. That complacency and lack of action is what got you in this mess in the first place. Jin...when are you gonna grow up? This is the girl you love. And she's risking her ass to save yours, again. Instead of rejecting her help, you need to be man enough to accept it. Knowing when you need others and respecting their feelings is what being an adult is all about. You know I'm right, Jin."

Jin was silent. "You're...you're right. All this has been is long hours and empty promises. And I was so blinded by it all, I never even realized it. There's no light at the end of the tunnel, no pot of gold at the end of the shit rainbow. Just more suffering for me and the people I love...Tenko. How could I turn on her like that? I wanted this to work so she wouldn't need to worry anymore. But it just gave her more grief. I'm such a screwup...I don't deserve the chances I've been given."

"Why aren't you angry, Jin? Why aren't you angry?" "I...am." "Atta boy. Let's go make this right." The Shadow closed his eyes, and disappeared. Jin's eyes widened, and he fell down, clutching his head.

'False hope clouded your heart, and denied you that which was important. So, will you die as you believed you would? Or will you break from your chains and take your revenge?'

"You know my answer. I won't waver anymore."

'Good. Then let us proceed with the contract at once.'

The pain increased, to the point where Jin began digging into the ground, leaving deep scratch marks as a result.

'I am thou, thou art I...the fog of deception has lifted. That which has held thee still has been swept away. The chains that bound you to a fruitless desire...shall be thy blade henceforth!'

Jin clenched his teeth, opened his yellowed eyes, and let out a primal howl, before being engulfed by blue flame.

In the office room, the group were slowly being overwhelmed by the zombie hoard. "There's no end to these damn things!" yelled Shūjo. Tenko held them back with her shield, but the sheer amount of undead was beginning to break the shield away. "Dammit, this can't be it...not like this..." "You see this now? See what trying to aid that lump has brought you? There's nothing more you can--"

Just then, the door slammed open. A figure stood there, and raised his hand to summon forth a spirit. What appeared before the zombie hoard was a blue spiritual dog-like humanoid covered in Egyptian cloths and hieroglyphs, carrying a scale. "Do your thing, Anubis." said the figure. The spirit complied, its eyes began to glow, and a wall of ice spikes jutted up, destroying several zombies and blocking off the rest. The figure leapt above the group, and landed behind the spirit. He was wearing a tattered, black and red hooded cloak, with an image of a stylized wolf on the back. He carried a chain with him, with both ends of it ending with a spiked, fang-like edge. He removed his hood, and turned to the group. "Yo." Jin said with a smirk.

"Jin...!" uttered a surprised Tenko. He walked over to her. "It's alright. I don't have any more burdens. Not by work, not by stress, not anything. I'm finally free! This is the real me!" "A Persona...? How...?" He clasped her hand. "I don't have any reason to be afraid, Tenko. What's the point of a dream that keeps you from what's really important? That's no path I want to follow. Thank you, Tenko. Thank you for never giving up on me. You don't have to worry about me anymore. I love you, Tenko." "...huh...?" she responded, dumbfounded.

The ice wall began to crack, and a zombie emerged. Without turning, Jin fired his chain at its head, destroying it. "'Scuse me for one second." Taking on a maddened grin, Jin leapt over the ice wall, landing in front of the hoard, sending several flying. "Who here wants to die again first?!" he growled. Using his chain and Persona, Jin began tearing through the zombies, laughing wildly as he did. "Eat your heart out, Simon Belmont! This is how you use a damned chain!" The group stood speechless. "That dude...is scary." said Rin. "Ah, let him vent. Dude's probably had it built up for a while. Probably wouldn't hurt to help him out though." Shūjo retorted.

The demon grew angrier. "Free-thinking commoner...enough with your insolence!" He fired a beam of fire from his fingertip towards Jin. Tenko jumped in front and blocked the attack. "Tenko!" "Stupid! I don't have to worry about you anymore? That ain't gonna happen. Even with that power of yours, you're still gonna need my help. And I'll be there to give it. That's...that's how this love thing works." Jin smirked. "Heh. Got me there."

"Yo, boss man. I've come to deliver my resignation notice. Up close and personal like!" Jin jumped up, used his chain to grab one of the demon's horns, and propelled himself upward. He dove into the demon's mouth, giving the monster the middle finger as he went inside. "Is he nuts?!" yelled Rin. Soon, the demon began reacting poorly, as it became clear that something was trying to break from his stomach. Jin came bursting through, falling to the floor as the demon collapsed. Shūjo caught Jin before he hit the ground. "...can we do that again...?" uttered Jin.

The Palace began to shake. "I think that's our cue to leave." said Rin. "Rosie, get us out of here!" yelled Shūjo. "Let's go home, Jin." said Tenko, a satisfied smile on her face. The group made their escape.

Soon after, the group stood outside Jin's dormroom. Tenko stepped out. "How is he?" Rin asked. "Well, he just asked me what dinner was gonna be. So, I'd say he's gonna be OK. He says he wants to talk." The group walked in. Jin sat on his bed. "Hey, all. Heck of a day, huh?" he said with a nervous smile. "I'd say as much, jackass." Shūjo retorted. "Heh, probably earned that one." Jin said.

"I, uh...just wanted to apologize for all the craziness. I never wanted to put anyone in danger. I seriously thought it'd all work out in the end but...guess I was just lying to myself. I was about to kill myself over a vision I knew deep down was BS. I never even saw a cent for all that walking around I was doing. I just...wanted to apologize." "Not us you should be apologizing to." Rin said. She moved her eyes in Tenko's direction. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I've already said sorry 10 times since I got back." "Won't have to say it again if you get me that puppy I've been asking for..." said Tenko with a cheeky grin. "Don't push it." Jin retorted, now blushing.

"So, you're Rin, right? I don't think I ever really introduced myself outside of...well, whatever you'd call what just happened. Thanks for helping Tenko out." "Don't worry about it. It's what a friend does. Just don't ever make her worry like that again, deal?" "Deal. And I'm gonna guess that you're Rose, yeah?" "Yes. It is a pleasure to meet you in a manner not involving dragging your unconscious form out of the rain." "Huh?" "I'll fill you in later." Tenko said.

They walked outside. "Hey, if it's no problem I think I'm gonna keep an eye on him tonight. I brought my uniform over." said Tenko. Rin raised her eyebrow and took on a cheeky grin. "Nothing like that! Jeeeez." Tenko said blushing. "If you say so. See you in class tomorrow then." She peered into the room. "Oy, Jin! No funny business, you hear?!" "N-no way! My mom would kill me!" he said sheepishly. "Hehe. Bye, lovebirds~." She trotted away, avoiding a playful swipe from Tenko.

As they walked, Rose paused for a moment. Something Rin had said in the Palace had caught her attention.

"I had to watch my dad and brother die."

"Curious..." Rose said to herself. She continued walking.


	3. "The Secret Life of Apple-chan"

SEPTEMBER 7, 2019

NARUKI ASCENSION ACADEMY

Ringo Kubo has the same dream every night.

It starts the same way each time. She is eight years old. She is splattered with blood, with the most horrified look on her face. Lying in front of her is a man in shopkeepers' clothes, motionless in a pool of his own blood. She can hear her mother's screams. She herself can only stare.

It changes. She is in that dark, rainy alleyway. She is fifteen years old. Her brother lies beaten brutally, and motions slowly towards the school emblem he was so proud of. Again, she can only watch.

It changes again. It is only a few weeks later. She opens her eyes, and is staring up at a sea of tree cover. Again, it is raining. She can still feel the pain. She ponders whether moving at all is worth it.

"Rin...Riiiin..."

She stirs awake. "Up and at 'em, Rin-Rin! Sleeping's fun and all but we gotta get up sometime~." Tenko shouted. Rin sighed at this. Sleeping has not exactly been fun for her in recent times.

She got herself dressed and left her room. Tenko and Rose were already waiting. "Sheesh, someone must've had a memorable night." Tenko said. "You don't know the half of it." Rin retorted. "OK, we all remember the plan for today, yeah?" You're going with JoJo and Hiyoko, Rosie. It'll be good to hang out with someone else other than us for a change." said Tenko. "Understood. I've been looking forward to it." Rose answered. "OK, they'll be here in a little bit. Let's go grab Jin, Rin-Rin." "Righto. I'll proceed with the grabbing of your boyfriend." "Not that kind of grabbing, cheeky." Rin stuck her tongue out cheekily.

Rin and Tenko left, and went over to the boys' dorms. Tenko knocked on the door, echoing the first level theme's intro from Super Mario Bros. "Cute. Real cute." deadpanned Rin. Jin walked out the door wearing a navy hoody and jeans. "Morning, ladies." "Morning, loverboy." said Rin. "Not gonna stop ragging me for that, huh?" "I'm here to haunt your every moment."

"So, anyway..." began Jin, before noticing Rin making a circle with one hand and moving one finger into and out of the circle with the other. "OK that's enough from the peanut gallery." Jin griped. "Peanut or penal?" Rin joked. "Our future award-winning author, ladies and gentlemen." Tenko added, laughing. "ANYway. We're headed to Yūji's first, yeah? Think he'll have forgiven me for...the hot tea incident?" Jin asked. "Please, he's probably moved on already. That dude has the patience of a saint." Tenko answered. "Welp, only one way to find out." As Jin started to leave, he suddenly hoisted Rin over his shoulders and proceeded to walk out. "Wha, hey! The hell's going on?! Help! This maniac's kidnapping me!" She continued griping as Tenko followed, laughing.

The trio proceeded to the Yamada café. Rin was in a huff. Jin clasped his stomach. "What are you some kind of marine? The hell did you do with those feet..." "The least I could've done, creep!" Rin griped. They approached the counter. "Hey, Yūji-senpai!" said Tenko. "Hey, dude." Jin said sheepishly. Yūji looked over at Tenko, then to Jin. "Hrm. Took you long enough." he finally said. "I uh...see your eyebrows are back." Jin said. Yūji just stared him down. "...I think I'll grab a table." Jin walked away.

A few minutes later the girls sat down. Jin grabbed his drink and gave it a sniff. "Seriously?" Tenko asked. "Can never be too careful." Jin retorted. "Still not used to doing nothing on a Saturday. Not that I'm complaining." "Boy they really ran you ragged, huh?" Rin asked. "Oh God, you have no idea. Even on my one day off I'd just spend it sleeping. Couldn't even muster the energy to game." "Oh, that's right, Tenko mentioned that was your big thing." "'Big' might be an exaggeration. Frankly speaking I'm not even that good." "Oh, he's just being modest. It's what got him into the academy. And academics too, of course." "I just won one little Street Fighter tournament, that's all. School apparently thought that was impressive." "Maybe it was the 'not losing a single round' thing?" "Seriously, I'm not that good."

"I'd like to see, if you don't mind." Rin asked. "I think there's an arcade close by." "You sure about this? I'm a bit rusty." "Gotta make sure bestie's boy toy isn't a wuss, after all." "Oh. Is that right?" Jin got up from his seat. "Challenge accepted." he said in a serious tone. "Did I just make a mistake?" Rin asked. "I love it when he gets that look in his eyes." Tenko added.

The trio left, Rin pondering all the while how big a mistake she'd just made.

\---

NARUKI MARKET DISTRICT

"So, what exactly are we here for, again?" Shūjo asked. He, Hiyoko and Rose were in the middle of Naruki's biggest market district. "Well, there's some cute shops around here I've been hearing about. Thought it'd be a good way to spend a day. And...maybe we can find Rosie here a hobby." Hiyoko answered. "A hobby, you say?" Rose pondered. "Well, I just noticed you mostly follow everything Rin and Tenko do. You've been getting better at emoting and communicating these last couple weeks, so maybe we could find something for you to be interested in yourself." "Hmm, interesting..." "You and your development plans, Hiyoko. Teacher practice even during free time." Shūjo added. "Just trying to help a friend, that's all." Hiyoko said.

The trio came across a fruit market. "Good grief, would you look at all this. Never even seen some of this stuff." Shūjo said. Suddenly, a woman popped up from behind the display. She was red-haired, and had a flower-print apron. "That's the idea!" she cheerily exclaimed. "OH GOD!" said a surprised Shūjo. "Oh, sorry about that. My kids keep warning me about spooking customers, hehe..." Rose studied the woman's face. "Those eyes...I've seen them before." "Hm? My eyes you say? My husband always did say they were as radiant as the sun...hehe." "Hang on..." Rose looked up at the sign on the store. Sure enough, her suspicions proved true.

The sign read "Kubo Produce".

"'Kubo'? Wait a second, isn't that Rin's last name?" Hiyoko asked. "Oh, you know my Rin-chan? She's my youngest!" the woman exclaimed. "Damn, that explains it. You're practically her spitting image." Shūjo said. "We're Rin's classmates, ma'am. And this one right here's her roommate." Rose respectfully bowed. "A pleasure, ma'am. My name is Rosemary." "Oh, aren't you just precious! But what's all this 'ma'am' business? Any friend of Rin-chan can call me Hana! Oh, where are my manners? Please, come in! I have so much more inside. But first..." Hana stared at Shūjo. "Take that out before coming in, kiddo. Real or no, it isn't a good look." "Wha, seriously? Of course it isn't real! My mom'd ki-- er, that stuff'd kill me!" Shūjo babbled. "Ahahaha, don't think I didn't catch that first part. I'd recommend listening to your mom, though. It comes from a place of love~." She motioned for them to come inside. "Boy. Never thought our cynical Rin would have a mom this...bubbly." Shūjo muttered.

The trio walked inside, to a vast assortment of exotic fruit. "A bit much, I know, but you never want to limit your options." Hana said. "The hell is this?" Shūjo asked, holding a strange, green fruit. "Oh, that's one of my recent imports from Africa. Pretty popular, actually. Might need another shipment soon." Shūjo shrugged. "Can't hurt to try."

Rose noticed a pair of portraits behind the counter. One was of a young dark-haired boy with glasses. The other was of a middle-aged man with dark hair and glasses. "My husband and my youngest boy." Hana said. "This store's been part of my husband's family for generations. He was always so proud of it, and he wanted our boys to take over. But my oldest was always getting into trouble, and my youngest...well, dear Tohru was always ambitious. He was always going to own something far bigger than our little store. And my Rin-chan was such a free spirit that she would never consider it." "You mentioned an older boy. Rin never mentioned having more than one brother." Hiyoko said. "Oh, yes. Hyōtan, my oldest. He was something of a problem child, always getting into fights and making mischief. Ended up costing him three hard years in prison. But it may have been a blessing. For all intents and purposes he's gotten his act together. In two months he'll be released, and he wants to help out at the store. Which I'd be more than welcome to." "A teenaged screw-up, huh? Guess I can relate to that." said Shūjo.

"Miss Hana, if it isn't too much to ask...what happened to your husband?" Rose asked. "Hm, a curious girl, aren't you? It's fine, customers ask all the time. Dearest Kaito...he was such a wise business mind. He was the one who arranged for most of our foreign imports to come in. We always did reasonably well, but unfortunately it might have been too well."

"Eight years ago, it was just a normal business day. We had Rin with us that day, she'd been home with a cold. And then...a lost soul came in. Couldn't have been older than fifteen. And he had a pistol. He demanded everything in our register. But my Kaito...he tried to calm this boy down. Told him that he probably had more money than we did. This boy didn't like that, and..." She paused for a moment. "It's okay, miss. I understand." Rose said. "No, it's alright. I don't have any tears left. But Rin-chan...she had to watch. It isn't something any child should have to see. And she's seen it twice. She was the one who found Tohru, she was there as he went. She's still just a baby, and she's had to see so much pain and misery. I'm just thankful for you all being friends with her. She needs good companionship now more than ever. She didn't have that after Tohru died, and that's what made her..." She stopped. "No, no. She wouldn't want me spilling all her skeletons. She'll tell all when she wants to. I just feel so bad for her. Neither the boy that killed my husband nor the one who took Tohru were ever caught. I know that doesn't sit well with Rin-chan. Just...promise me you'll keep an eye on her for me. She has...a flair for the drastic, let's just say." "We will, miss." Rose said.

"There was actually something else I wanted to ask you." Rose continued. "Hm? What is it, dear?" "I would like to help you here." "Oh, that's very sweet of you, but I'm alright here." "At least until your son is released. I want to understand people more, and I can help here after school for a few hours. And it would help keep Rin's mind at ease." "Well, if you insist, I wouldn't mind at all. Oh, where were you all when Rin-chan was struggling? If only she always had friends like you all. Thank you for looking after her for me."

The trio bid Hana farewell. "That was very kind of you, Rose." Hiyoko said. "Damn straight. I'd say we're making progress." Shūjo added. "It's only the right thing to do. I can see how tired she must be working there alone, even with her sunnier disposition. It must weigh heavily on Rin's mind. And perhaps being around her mother will help me understand Rin a bit more." Rose said. "Guess so. Feels like she isn't being totally upfront, but her business is her business. She'll open up eventually." said Shūjo. They continued walking.

\---

Rin was bad at video games.

"K.O.! Perfect!"

Rin was really bad at video games.

After losing eight straight Street Fighter 2 matches to Jin, Rin began to realize that perhaps challenging a lifelong gamer to prove his credentials in front of his girlfriend was not a smart move.

"Need any more educating?" Jin asked. "No, I...I think I get the idea." Rin said, defeated. "And to think this is with months of rust..." Tenko added. "Helps that I haven't touched one of these things in years..." Rin said, shuddering at the thought that this could've been worse. "Don't fret about it. I didn't get any enjoyment from it. Topping a newbie's like punching a seal." Jin said. "That grin on your face says otherwise..." Rin retorted.

Tenko looked at her watch. "Oh, shoot! We're supposed to meet with JoJo's group in a bit. C'mon kiddies, time to hustle!" "Aw, man. And here I was about to show my Tekken creds..." Jin said. Rin just sighed, knowing she'd been spared further punishment.

\---

Hiyoko looked out to the ocean. The trio were at the local docks, where Rin had first met Shūjo. "Brings back memories, don't it?" Shūjo asked. "Well, of course, silly. It's only where you found me." Hiyoko answered. "Found? Is this where you both first met?" Rose asked. "Yeah, it is. Six years ago, in fact. Six years since the most important day of my life..." Hiyoko drifted away into thought.

\---

SIX YEARS AGO

A boy with a straw in his mouth sat on the edge of the docks, staring out into the ocean. Some cargo boats nearby were unloading their supply. The boy looked over, and saw an odd sight.

While none of the workers were looking, a small box slowly moved off of the boat by itself. The boy, Shūjo, was dumbfounded. "Am I losing it?" he questioned. The box quickly moved away from Shūjo, who got up and proceeded to give chase. He managed to corner the box behind several other stacked boxes. As he moved closer, he could hear a small whimper coming from the box. "What the...?" he wondered.

He lifted the box, and was surprised to see a girl about his age, with brown hair, tattered clothes and no shoes, hiding underneath. "A girl? The heck? What're you doing here? You lose your mom or something?" "Mom...doesn't want...I'm...too sick..." the girl said weakly. "Doesn't want...what kinda parent just gets rid of their kid cuz they're sick? And why were you on that boat?" "Mom...not want...home far away..." The girl coughed. "Hey hey hey, take it easy. Alright, let me take you to my mom. She might know what to do. What's your name?" "Hi...Hiyoko...I'm...Hiyoko." "Hiyoko, huh? Well, good to meet you, Hiyoko. I'm Shūjo. But everyone calls me JoJo." "Thank you...JoJo..." "Hey, don't mention it. Now, let's get you out of here." Shūjo picked Hiyoko up, steadied himself, and walked away.

\---

"Astonishing." Rose said. "So you were just abandoned by your own parents like that?" "My mother was a religious fanatic. Thought that hardened faith could fix everything, even all that I've got going on in me. When that didn't work, one day she just up and walked out of the house. I fended for myself for months. I was nearly dead when JoJo found me. But him and his clan took me in, and I've been joined at the hip with this lump ever since." "I see...I take it your father was never in the picture, then." "Nope. Got no clue who he is, and frankly I never want to. All I know is that my mother always used to call him 'the devil'. Now if someone who'd abandon their own child would call someone the devil..." "How can you be so sure your mother abandoned you, though?"

"Well...about a month after she walked out, I was wandering the streets, trying to keep myself alive. I look in the window of this one shop, and lo and behold, there's my mother. Enjoying herself like nothing had happened. She even looked out and saw me at one point." "What did she do?" "Nothing. Just looked away and continued her business. It was like she was staring right through me."

"But that doesn't matter now. I have JoJo and you all. But I'll admit, I miss having that parental connection, even if it was toxic. I envy Rin a bit, for having such a lovely mother. That's why...if I have kids someday, I'm not walking out on them. Ever. I'll be twice the woman my mother was..."

Rose stayed silent for a moment. She checked to see if anyone was watching. "Hiyoko. Your resolve is inspiring. And I believe that we have been keeping you out of the loop for too long. Do you agree, JoJo?" Shūjo looked surprised. "Wait, you're serious? No way, it's too dangerous for her!" Hiyoko looked confused. "Ehhh, what's all this about?" "I believe you have the fortitude for what we have been doing. What I'm about to do might be shocking at first, but if your resolve is as firm as you present it, then there will be no problems." "Hmm, I still don't really get all the weird talk, but if you think this is alright..." Rose stared at Shūjo. "Tch. Fine! But if things go south, don't say I didn't warn you." "I will assume full responsibility of anything that may go awry. Now, without further delay..."

Rose pressed a button on her phone, and a doorway appeared. "...so...what have you all been up to?" A shocked Hiyoko asked. The trio entered the doorway.

On the other side the trio appeared in what looked to be a hotel hallway. "The heck are we? What's with the getup, JoJo? And what happened to your eyes, Rose?" Hiyoko asked. "We are inside an abyss known as Tartarus. This is where the cognition of the whole of humanity gathers. And this, where we are, is the Palace of the general public." "Cognition...abyss...JoJo, did you slip me something back at the shop?" "Believe me, I didn't believe it myself. But this is 100% real. You know how that scumbag Kyōshinja just up and turned a new leaf? Or how Jin's attitude changed? This is where we made it happen."

"Clearing a person's heart of distortion, leading to a change of heart...that is what we've set out to do. Occasionally, a person's heart will be so distorted that they form an entire Palace to house it. For the rest of mankind, this is where the subconscious lies. And this room right here belongs to you, Hiyoko." Rose explained. "So all that weirdness was from you guys? And you want me to tag along? How would I even help?" "By confronting what lies within this room. Only by accepting the truth that sleeps within your heart can you unlock true power." "True power, eh...guess it can't hurt to try. I'm in." "Excellent. Let's go."

Rose opened the door. Inside, it was a darkened room. What could be seen was religious tapestries lining the walls, and what looked to be medical equipment lying about. At the end of the room, a woman was hunched over what looked to be a sink. She was dressed as a nurse. "Wellll, look who decided to return home." the woman said. She turned around. "Mother...?" Hiyoko said. "That is not her. It's a construct based on your memories." Rose said.

"You're far overdue for your treatment, young lady." the woman hissed. "There is no ailment that God cannot fix. Unless you are of the devil as I've long suspected..." This irritated Hiyoko. "Devil, schmevil! I had to go through your 'treatments' for years when I needed a real doctor's help! I might not be as sick as I am now if I'd gotten real help sooner!" "Wretched little heathen. I gave you 10 years of my time and all I ever got was backsass and heretical thoughts. You're just like that devil of a man I laid with all those years ago. You were my curse for daring to go outside the confines of marriage. You make me sick!"

Hiyoko was growing visibly more agitated. "I make you sick?! You dumped me like garbage and acted like I was nothing but a burden! If it wasn't for JoJo finding me, getting me real help, I'd be rotting away in a gutter somewhere! All I ever heard from you is 'God this' and 'God that', 'God will sort it out'. Would God be happy with a mother abandoning a child who just needed help? You're nothing but a hypocrite! I...I..."

"I HATE YOU SO DAMN MUCH!"

...

'I have been waiting for so long to heed your call.'

Hiyoko's eyes widened. She fell to her knees and clasped her head.

'The false prophet standing before you chose her own livelihood over your own. Hypocrites such as this have tainted the world with their nonsense for far too long. Mere forgiveness cannot be deemed enough. Do you agree?'

"Yes...yes, Morrigan. I won't allow this anymore."

'Excellent. Let us mark the occasion with a contract.'

Hiyoko's eyes turned yellow, and the pain intensified.

'I am thou, thou art I...a world tainted by hypocrisy and false idolatry cannot go unchallenged. It is time to take on the role of herald. The herald of a new world order, free from the tyranny and hypocrisy of selfish heretics!'

With a yell, Hiyoko was engulfed in blue flames. She emerged wearing a dark blue and green vest and blouse with a scarf. Behind her was a spiritual woman bearing bat-like wings, a black gown that appeared to be stained with blood, and a light complexion. "Goodbye, mother. Send my regards to the dodo." She motioned for her Persona to attack. The woman manifested a giant bell in front of her, and proceeded to strike it. Upon hearing the noise, Hiyoko's mother began to show cracks all over her body, which grew in size until eventually she dissolved into nothing.

"Hey, Rose." Hiyoko began. "We're going after Ishimaru and his team of scumbags, right? Count me in. I didn't get the pleasure of making Kyōshinja squirm. I intend to be there when his bosses get what's coming to them." She turned to Shūjo. "I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you. I'm going to repay that kindness, you'll see." Shūjo grunted. "The heck're you talking about? You're repaying me just by staying the way you are. That's enough for me." Hiyoko smiled at this. "If you say so."

"Let's get going. Rin and the others must be waiting." Rose said. The trio left through the door.

Sure enough, after passing through the doorway, Rin's trio were waiting near the dock. "Huh? You all went to a Palace? And Hiyoko too?" Rin asked. "I have so many questions!" exclaimed Hiyoko.

The group began walking back to the dorms. "Oh, right. In all the excitement I forgot to mention that we met your mother today, Rin." Rose said. "Huh? Really?" "Oh, yeah. She was a real sweetheart. Rosie here even volunteered to help her out after school." Shūjo said. "For real? That's...wow. I don't know what to say. That's really nice of you, Rose." "It isn't any trouble. It'll be at least until your brother's prison sentence ends."

Rin stopped cold. "Huh? Prison sentence?" asked Jin. "Brother? Rin-Rin, I thought you said your brother was--" began Tenko. "What else did she tell you?" Rin demanded. "Is there something wrong, Rin?" Rose asked. "What else did she tell you?" "She just told us about your father, Rin. Nothing else, I promise." "You're not lying to me, are you?" "Jeez, what's gotten into you?" Shūjo asked. Rin stopped for a moment. She shook her head. "S-sorry about that. I don't know what came over me. I-it's fine, I'm alright now. Hehehe..." She laughed nervously. The others gave a doubtful look."

They walked the rest of the way to the dorms in awkward silence. Finally, Tenko spoke up. "Hey, so...I just looked at the weather report for tomorrow. Looks like it'll be perfect conditions for a beach trip. What do you guys think?" "Eh, I don't see why not. Might be our last chance before it gets cold." Shūjo said. The others agreed. "What about you, Rin-Rin?" Rin froze. "Uh...I dunno. It'll probably be crowded, and there might be sharks or something..." "It's always gonna be crowded. And if there're sharks they won't go for you. They'll probably go for something with more meat on the bones. Right, Jin?" Shūjo joked. "Dipshit." Jin grumbled.

Rin paused again. "Well, guess I'm overruled. I'm on board then." "Sweetness! OK, I'm gonna run with Rosie to grab her a bathing suit before the shops close. See y'all tomorrow!" Tenko ran off. Rose followed after, but not before giving Rin a curious glance. "I, uh...guess I'll see you guys tomorrow then." Rin said, before walking away. "...what was all that about?" Jin asked. "Not our place to pry. If she wants to keep things private, that's her right." Hiyoko said. "You're right, but...just feels like she still doesn't trust us." Shūjo added.

Later that night, Rin was in bed typing on her laptop. There was a knock at her door. She got up and opened it to see Rose standing there. "I hope I didn't wake you?" Rose asked. "Oh, no. I was catching up on my writing. What's up?" "Do you not trust us, Rin?" Rin was caught off guard by the question. "W-what do you mean?" "Your reaction today was very telling. It was the reaction of someone who has something to hide. Is it truly so horrible that you wouldn't trust us to not pass judgement?" "I...I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't have anything to hide."

Rose cocked her head. "Why do you always cover your arms?" Rin paused in shock. "What's that supposed to mean?" "In the few weeks we've known each other, I've never seen you wearing anything without long sleeves. Even when the weather wouldn't require them." "S-so what? I've always worn long sleeves." "Truly? Because when I visited your mother's store today, there was a photo of you there from two years ago. I saw no long sleeves. Just a curiosity I noticed. Along with your sudden defensiveness." Rin grew more agitated. "Why are you asking me this?" "I know you're allowed your privacy, Rin. And I know we've only been around each other for less than a month. But at some point you need to open yourself to others." "'Open myself to others'. Says the girl who up until 3 weeks ago didn't know what emotions were." Rose was taken aback by this. "What are you hiding, Rin?" Rin paused. "What difference does it make?" she asked.

Rose turned to leave. "I'm sorry to impose so much, Rin. But these three weeks for me have been transformative. For the first time I feel that I can connect with somebody. And it hurts to see someone I've connected with suffering in silence. You have a right to your privacy, Rin. But I also have a right to be concerned." As she was about to leave, Rin spoke up. "Hey, Rosie?" "Yes?" "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. You're right. I should trust my friends more. So...we'll see how tomorrow goes. And I'll decide...whether I should tell my secret. I don't want to make you feel bad..." Rin walked over and hugged Rose. "Thanks for helping my mom. It helps more than you'll ever know." "It's...no trouble at all. I'm happy to be of service." Rin let go. "Alright, go get some rest. It's a big day tomorrow." Rose smiled. "Yes, you're right. Have a good night, Rin." Rose walked out, and Rin shut the door.

Rin sat down against the door. "...Dad...Tohru...please give me strength." She put her hands to her face. She looked at the bandages on her arms.

"Tomorrow...after the beach tomorrow...I'm taking these ugly things off..."

\---

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

NARUKI PUBLIC BEACH

"Jeez, what's taking those slugs so long?" Tenko and Hiyoko were waiting outside a series of changing tents. Tenko was wearing a green-and-black swimsuit, while Hiyoko was wearing a yellow swimsuit with a wide-brimmed sun hat. "And JoJo complains about how long it takes me to use the bathroom..." Hiyoko said.

Shūjo and Jin stepped out, Shūjo wearing a black beach shirt with the kanji for "menacing" printed on it, while Jin wore a black-and-silver shirt and a backwards cap. "Oh yes, fully clothed. Perfect beach attire." Tenko chided. "Sorry to disappoint." Shūjo retorted. "Don't gotta expose the world to what's underneath this." Jin added. "That's reserved for one person only, right?" Shūjo joked. "Better one than none at all, JoJo." Jin retorted. "Asshole." "Shithead." "Yeesh, footie derbies don't have this much tension." Hiyoko quipped.

Then, Rose stepped out of the tent. She had on a dark blue swimsuit. "Is this...too much?" she timidly asked. The stick in Shūjo's mouth suddenly shot up. Hiyoko pushed it back down with her finger. "Uhh, Rose, for lack of better phrasing, I gotta say..." Jin began. "God DAMN, girl!" Tenko exclaimed. "...precisely." Jin added. Rose was blushing wildly. "Th-thank you..."

"Wonder what's taking Rin so long?" Hiyoko asked. Rose thought to herself. Prior to coming to the beach, Rin had pulled her aside. "Listen, Rose...I've thought about what you said last night and...I'm gonna come clean about everything tonight. But today at the beach I'm still going to be hiding. Telling you all is one thing, but having huge crowds of people seeing what I have to hide is totally different. Just don't take what I'm gonna do as going against it, OK?" Rin had told her.

In the present, Rin stepped out. "Sorry to keep y'all waiting." She was wearing a full-body red and black wetsuit. The others (save for Rose) were shocked. "What is THAT?" Shūjo asked. "Are you planning on exploring the depths of Planet Zebes or something?" Jin asked. "I, uh...I get sunburnt really easy. If this came with a hood I'd probably go with that, too. Hehehehe..." Rin trailed off. "A-anyway, we gonna get this show on the road or what? I might get sunburnt anyway at this rate..." The others gave a skeptical look, but chose not to press it. "Well, first things first. Have to find a good spot to drop our things. Let's get a move on." Hiyoko said.

As they walked off, Tenko walked up to Rin. "Hey, are you feeling OK?" she asked. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Totally." "You've been acting kind of weird lately. I'm starting to get a little worried." "I'm fine, really." "You know you can tell me anything. I don't want you to think you can't." "...I know. I...there's so much I want to tell you guys. But not here. Let's just have fun today, OK? I can explain everything later." "Well, alright then. Doesn't sound any less worrying, but I'll take your word for it. Now let's go before the boys get us lost." The girls walked after the others, Rin giving a sigh as she did so.

The group found a spot to drop off their things. "Right, you ladies sit tight. Me and Jin are gonna grab our lunch. Be back in a jiffy." Shūjo said. "Alright, you got cash on you?" Jin asked. "'Cash'. Pfff. I don't pay for my seafood. Come on. We're doing this hunter-gatherer style." Shūjo took out a net. "I don't even wanna know where you were hiding that thing." The boys walked off. The girls, save for the curiously absent Rose, began sunbathing. "Anyone wanna take bets as to how long it'll take the pickup artists to show up?" Rin asked. "Oh, I'd say about five seconds..." Tenko answered.

Sure enough, a pair of bearded young men approached. "Well hello there, ladies. Now what're some fine lasses doing all alone like this?" asked the taller one. "Oh, you know. Waiting for our boyfriends to get us food." Tenko answered. "Wait, JoJo isn't my--" Hiyoko began, before being lightly elbowed by Tenko. "Roll with it. And I give that 2 weeks." she whispered. "Well ain't that a shame. And how about you, Red? You gonna play hardball like your friends here?" "Yeah, not interested. Also they aren't my friends, they're my lesbian lovers." The boys looked surprised. "Didn't you two say you had--" "It's a really fluid situation we have." Rin asserted.

Suddenly, one of the boys quickly disappeared into the sand, followed by the other one. Moments later they were spat out into the ocean. Then, Rose emerged from the sand. "They won't be an issue any longer." she said. "Thanks, agent Sandy Snake." Tenko joked.

Moments later, Shūjo returned with a net full of blue crabs. "Alright, lunch is here ladies. Raw or grilled, take your pick." "Boy, all that sea man imagery isn't just for show, huh?" Rin asked. "Hell no. This is second nature to me. Only thing I can't do is talk to dolphins." Rose looked curiously at the net. Something was sticking out of it. "What is that?" she questioned. Shūjo took it out. It was a pair of black swimming trunks. "Oh boy. Someone's free as a bird right now." he quipped. "Hey, now that I think about it, where's--" Tenko started.

Jin was standing waist-deep in the water. "Hunh. Did the water get colder all of a sudden?" He looked down, and reeled in horror. He sank lower. "Oh, shit." Shūjo said. "Is...does that mean he's..." said Tenko, who was turning red at this point. Suddenly, her nose began to bleed. "Oh, boy. This turned into a thing." Shūjo quipped. "Well don't just stand there, get the boy his shorts!" Rin shouted, fanning a dizzy-looking Tenko. "OK, OK. Hopefully I get to him before something comes by looking for a nibble." Tenko's nosebleed intensified. "STOP SAYING THINGS!" Rin griped.

Shūjo went over to a mortified Jin. "I think you're missing something, bro. I've come to deliver." "Don't say shit like that this close to my unshielded you-know-what!" "Please, I've touched this shit before. Not a big deal." "Wait, y-you've touched another guy's dick?!" "Yeah it was funny." "It wa--JUST GIVE ME MY GOD DAMNED SHORTS!" Jin angrily grabbed his trunks and hurriedly put them back on. "Freakin' weirdo." he grumbled. "I'm not the one that took five minutes to realize he was living life on the free and easy." Shūjo retorted.

The boys returned. Tenko was covering her nose with a tissue. "Crisis averted, y'all. His family jewels are intact. You're welcome, by the way." Shūjo said. "Such a gentleman." Rin said sarcastically. "Excuse me while I go bury my head like an ostrich." Jin said, still blushing.

Later in the day, the group gathered by the ocean. Rin was looking out into it. "What's up? You got something on your mind?" Hiyoko asked. "I've been thinking...I know it's only been a few weeks since I met you all, and I know you all had a bit of a clique already, but...thanks for being so accepting of me like this. It feels like I've known you guys for years. And that's why...I've decided." She turned around. "When we get back home, when we get ourselves sorted out...I'll tell you guys the truth. Why I'm so secretive, why I've been acting weird, and...why I'm really wearing this ridiculous thing. I don't want anymore secrets. If we're all gonna be in this together, then I want you guys to know the real me. And about...the lowest point of my entire life." "Rin-Rin..." Tenko muttered. "Let's hurry home, then. We don't want this weighing on your heart any more than need be." Rose said. Rin nodded. "OK. Let's go then."

A while later, the group assembled in Rin's dorm. "She's been in there for a while..." Jin said. "Whatever's on her mind must be serious..." Hiyoko added. "Gotta be bad if there's all this secrecy." Shūjo said. In her room, Rin sighed. She took off her jacket. She looked at her family photo on the nightstand. "Here we go." she said firmly.

She opened the door and walked out. The others reacted with surprise. "Your arms..." Tenko said. Rin's arms were completely bandaged. "I know what you all must be thinking. And I can tell you, that it is so much worse than anything you can imagine. This right here represents everything that's gone wrong for me in my life. It's a reminder of the lowest point of my sixteen years on this planet. The biggest mistake I've ever made..." Rin explained. "Rin, did you..." Jin began. "Do this to myself? Yeah, I did. But not with a knife or anything like that. I'm not one of those angsty kids moaning about how hard their life is when they've no idea what real pain is. I've endured the horrible stuff. But after my brother died...I couldn't handle it any more. My mind was just swarming darkness at that point. And so I..."

Rin began to remove the bandages, only for Rose to grab her arm. "I changed my mind. You don't have to do this. If it's too painful--" "It is. But it'd be more painful to keep this bottled up, eating away at my heart. I need you all to see me as myself. So please...just let me do this." Hesitantly, Rose relented. Rin proceeded to take off her bandages. The others reacted with shock. "Jesus..." Shūjo uttered. "Yeah, I know. Actually gets worse the more you look. And I've had to look at it plenty. So, let's get on with it."

"This is the story...of the worst mistake I ever made."

\---

NOVEMBER 15, 2018

NEAR THE BASE OF MT. FUJI

Rain poured down, as it had on that horrible night in Naruki. Memories of that night swam through Ringo Kubo's head, as they had every night since then. And she figured they would as long as she lived.

As long...as she breathed.

She looked out at the sea of trees before her. Dense. Isolated. The perfect place to orchestrate her horrific plan. She looked at the sign near the entrance.

"Aokigahara National Forest. WARNING: If you have come to bring your life to an end, please think this through. Think of your loved ones. Seek the proper channels. Please reconsider your actions."

Rin had thought this through. It was all she could think about. She knew the kind of pain this would bring her mother, to her brother, still sitting in a cold prison cell. But the thoughts had grown too dark, the pain too severe.

She wanted to see her father and brother again. And so, she proceeded inward.

The ground was hard. She slipped on the hardened surface, drenched in rain. Still, she persisted. She came across a tree she thought was suitable for what she was planning. And so, dark thoughts swarming in her mind, she began to climb. She cut herself on the tree's bark, but she shrugged off the pain. This was nothing compared to what she had planned.

As she reached a high point in the tree, she looked out. She saw a shadowy figure. This high up, that only meant one thing. She could make out the silhouette of a noose. She reeled in shock, and her grip loosened. As she fell, against everything she had been thinking of up to this point, she grabbed at the tree. The sticks and branches cut deep, and they cut many times. She finally hit the ground with a thud.

The rain continued. She lay there motionless. Her arms had been ravaged, and were bleeding from innumerable cuts. She couldn't muster the energy to move. And she wondered what she was thinking. Even after all the planning, she still had some will to live. Her grasping for the tree proved that much. Any regrets were pointless now, though. Lying who knows how far in the woods, bleeding and battered, it was only a matter of time.

She heard her father's voice. And he said only one thing. One thing that drove home what a mistake she had made.

"Mom can't be there to welcome back Tan alone."

She wept. Her tears indecipherable from the pouring rain. As she began to fade, she noticed a light growing larger in the distance. She had figured that this was the mythical white light people would see as they died. She accepted her fate.

The light grew closer. Two of them, in fact. This was not an angelic escort to heaven. This was the headlights of a park ranger's vehicle, alerted by a passerby who had seen a girl walk into the woods. Rin's life would not end this day.

As she faded into unconsciousness, she saw one final image. Her father stood there watching. "Not yet, my apple. Not yet." he said.

She slipped into sleep.

She could not see them again just yet.

\---

The group was in utter silence. Rin stood there too. "After the ranger found me, they got hold of my mom. When I came to, she was there in tears. She wasn't angry or anything like that. She was just glad I was alright. Well...alright is a strong word." She held up her arms. Both were covered with several large scars. "They stitched me back together, but they could only do so much. So I got these as a permanent reminder of how selfish and blind I was. I was so focused on taking the easy way out, I didn't even consider, really consider what it would do to who I still had. I lucked out that I didn't pay with more than just my arms. I saw a shrink for months after that. It took me even longer to muster the strength to write again. But I was alive. I still am. And it's a fight every day to push back the idea that I can finish it at any moment. I see it every night. I see my dad, my brother dying. And I see myself almost joining them."

"But I realized something then. Death wasn't the answer. The people I loved were gone, but there were still people here that needed me. I wasn't the only one hurting. And..." She clenched her fist. "I was going to make damn sure that nobody else would have to suffer the way we did. That nobody could hold power over someone's life and think they could do what they wanted with it. I had to make this right. I would spend my life making it right if I had to. I had to, for the people I loved. The ones still here, and the ones that weren't."

"I'm sorry I never said this sooner. But you all wanted to come with me on this quest. And you needed to see me like this, as myself, hiding nothing. I know none of you like the way things are, either. So...thank you. Thank you for coming with me, for helping me, for listening to what I had to say. I..." Rin trailed off. She began to cry. Slowly, Tenko stood up. Wordlessly, she embraced Rin. Rose did the same. Shūjo, Hiyoko and Jin followed. There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

Rin knew it then. She wouldn't have to face it alone anymore.

She still had work to do.

And her friends would be there every step of the way.


	4. "Red Dawn"

OCTOBER 1, 2019

YAMADA CAFÉ

"Oh my...what on Earth happened to your arms?" "I...fell from a tree. Stupidly, I might add."

Rin was done with hiding. She'd already returned to her original hair color, and had resolved to return her hair (now tied back in a ponytail) to the longer length of her grade school days. And now, in her usual afterschool hangout spot, she'd taken to going out in public sans a long sleeve shirt for the first time in months.

"I see...I had wondered why you were wearing long sleeves in fairer weather. I'd just assumed it was a fashion statement." said Yūji. "Nope. Just me hiding a lapse in judgement. But it's OK now. I'm not ashamed of it anymore. Took some egging on to start showing it in public, but hey. Can't just hide it forever." "Well, that is rather commendable. Takes a lot to admit to something like that. Strange, it's barely been two months but you look completely different from when we first met..."

"In a way I'd guess you could say she was in disguise back then." A scruffy-looking, dirty blonde-haired boy came over from behind the counter. "Sorry to eavesdrop. I know I should be focusing on customers..." "Oh, that's no problem. In fact it's perfect timing." said Yūji. "With my parents' retirement imminent I've resolved to bring in some extra manpower. This here is Shijūgo Oda. He's part of the school's Disciplinary Committee." "Disciplinary, huh? You a law and order type, huh?" Rin asked. "Yes, ma'am." "'Ma'am'. That and your posture tells me you've got some military in your blood." "You'd be correct, ma'am. My mother was with the American Military before coming here. Orderly behavior's just part of the lifestyle."

Suddenly, another boy popped up from behind the counter. He had slicked back, dark hair, and wore a polka-dotted bowtie. "Yup yup, ShiShi's as straight-laced as they come! Though wouldn't laces be untied if they were straight?" he said. Yūji sighed. "I thought I told you to keep the clowning around to a minimum." "'Minimum' doesn't mean 'none', bossman. The lady thought it was funny!" "I didn't, actually." Rin deadpanned. The boy looked dejected. "Well, whatevs! I'm Kamiya Tsurai, by the by. Here to give you all your daily dose of PUNishment, hee!" Yūji sighed again. "See what I have to deal with?"

"Don't let Kamiya's existing get you down. Deep down, he's not actually funny at all." A bespectacled boy with a dark goatee appeared suddenly. Kamiya jumped. "ZOINKS! Where'd you come from?!" "I'm not sure you're old enough to know the answer." Yūji rubbed his eyes. "And this charming fellow is--" "Shinji Sarada, mechanics genius." Rin said. "So you've heard of me, then." "I saw that the lunchroom was a winter wonderland last week after you hijacked the A/C." "Oh, right. That. Thought the mystery meat could've used some...extra preservation. Thought it was a good idea." "Some of us thought otherwise." Shijūgo quipped.

"Well, anyway, Rin, where's the rest of the band?" Yūji asked. "Well, Tenko has fencing practice. Rose is helping my mom out at the shop, Jin's probably off skulking by himself or what have you, and everyone else? No idea."

\---

NARUKI MARKET DISTRICT

"Erm, Mr. JoJo, could you maybe calm down one second?" Hana asked. "Beruhigen?! Wie kann ich? Ihre seltsamen früchte sind mit meinen worten durcheinander!" Shūjo shouted back. "Sorry, hon, but I don't understand a word you're saying..." "I believe he's upset that your fruit's caused him to only speak in German." Rose said. "Wie ist das überhaupt möglich? Ich dachte, diese frucht stamme aus Afrika!"

"Oh, hang on hon, I think I might have a solution..." Hana brought out an odd red fruit. "Oh gut. Seltsamere früchte sollten es reparieren." Shūjo grumbled. He reluctantly bit into it. "Any better?" "Well, it feels funny like the last one..." Shūjo said, now with a more squeaky, high-pitched voice. "Oh, great! Now I'm back to the right language but I sound like I've been huffing a balloon! Where the hell are you getting these things from, anyway?!" "Take it easy, JoJo. It'll be back to normal in a couple hours...give or take a week." "A week?! Oh my God, how the hell's anyone gonna take me seriously now?!" "I don't think that's gonna be a problem, JoJo..." Hiyoko quipped, trying to hold back laughter. The pair left, Shūjo looking decidedly dejected.

"Oh, dear. That was somewhat dire..." Hana sighed. "You mentioned your husband had some...unique connections in the produce industry. That was certainly unique." Rose added.

"Well, moving past that...it's only a couple weeks until your son's release, yes?" Rose asked. "Oh, yes. The three years are finally almost up. And what an eventful three years it's been...actually, there was something else I've been thinking of now that you've mentioned it. You've been a good little helper these last few weeks, Rosie, so I wanted to ask...would you like to help me with another little business venture I'm planning?" "Another venture? What do you mean?" "Well...it's something me and my Kaito had been talking about before his passing, and with Tan coming home soon I think now might be the right time. The shop next door is closing soon, and I've already started discussing buying it. I wanted to convert it into a flower shop."

"Flowers, you say..." Rose pondered. "If you couldn't guess from my name, flower arranging is what my family specializes in. I've wanted to make a business out of it for a while, and I was thinking that Tan could take over the fruit side of things while I work on it. It's what my Kaito wanted, after all..." "And you wanted me to help?" "Well, of course. You might be the most meticulous teenager I think I've ever seen. Plus, having someone named 'Rose' working in a flower shop would be the most adorable thing ever~." "I...see. Well, it's not the worst logic I've heard. I suppose it couldn't hurt." "Oh, you're an angel! Rin is blessed to have you as a roommate." "You flatter me, miss Hana. It's the right thing to do. Particularly to help avoid any further...incidents."

Across the street, Shūjo was fuming while Hiyoko was laughing hysterically. "Stop laughing, dammit! I'm supposed to be intimidating! Intimidating!", he squeaked.

\---

OCTOBER 2, 2019

NARUKI ASCENSION ACADEMY

"You guys are seeing this too, right?" Tenko asked. The group stood in the academy's courtyard, staring at an announcement board. Covering the board were postings requesting aid from the Shinigami Order. The group could overhear other students talking about it.

"Those are the guys that changed Kyōshinja's heart, right? Made him confess to all that crap?" "I think so. Seen a couple of people around here that just changed their tune out of nowhere." "That's Jin Mirai over there, right? Heard they got to him, too. They really taking requests?"

"They're seriously asking for our help, now?" Rin asked. "Look at all these requests. And I thought the Junior Class Elites were the only creeps around here..." Hiyoko added. "Oh, that's nothing. Y'all should take a look at the website." Jin said, looking at his phone. "Huh? Website?" Shūjo said, surprised. Jin showed his phone, and indeed, there was a forum online where concerned students made requests to the Shinigami Order. "What the hell? Where'd this come from?" Rin asked. "I set it up." Jin replied. "You...you set it up without consulting the rest of us?" Rose asked. "It's what we need to do. We've got the power to do things nobody else can, right? We should be putting that to good use. Yeah, Ishimaru's a big deal but if we can, we should help out if someone else's in trouble. Anything to clean out the muck, yeah?" Jin explained.

"Well look at you, Mr. Paragon of Justice." Rin joked. "Hey, you guys saved my skin when you could've just gone after Ishimaru. We should be doing that for other people, too. Only fair." "I guess you're right. 'With great power' and all that." Rin said.

Just then, a hush came over the crowd of students. "All right, lemmings, move your butts! Official Disciplinary Committee business!" Forcing his way through the crowd was one Kurojū Mishima, the head of the Disciplinary Committee. Flanking him were a pair of committee members, Shijūgo among them, both wearing white-colored versions of Mishima's dark military-style uniform. Mishima marched up to the board. "Tch. Requests for the Shinigami Order, huh?" He turned to the crowd. "You lemmings really need help from a bunch of crooks? You forgetting who the law is around here?" Rin chuckled at this. "Something funny, red?" Mishima demanded. "Oh, no reason. Just, I appreciate a good bit of irony. And I have a name, you know." "Oh, I know who you are. Tohru Kubo's little sister. And you've got as much nerve as he did. I'd mind that tongue if I were you, or else--" "Or else what, she'll end up like him? That what you're saying?" Tenko interjected. "I don't recall asking you, Kitsunezaru. Or is that just how girls conduct themselves now?" He motioned his hand toward her, only for Jin to step in-between them. "Hands to yourself, creep. Or I can't guarantee you'll get them back." he said. Mishima grumbled at this. "Well, look who suddenly grew a pair. Got a lot of nerve talking to me like that." "I don't give a rat's ass who you are. You raise your hand to any girl, I'm gonna have a problem. Raise your hand to that girl, and you're begging for an ass-whooping." Jin retorted.

Shijūgo put his hand on Mishima's shoulder. "Let it go, man. This isn't a good look at all." Mishima grumbled. "Tch, fine. Not worth the effort anyway. Don't think I'll forget your little threat, Mirai. And as for you, red...you'd best keep both eyes open. Or you'll find out what your bro did about screwing with the natural order. Let's go, men!" Mishima walked off. "Hey, I'm sorry about that. He's been in a rotten mood since Kyōshinja was expelled." Shijūgo said. "'Rotten', that's putting it lightly." Shūjo quipped. "Again, sorry. You all just be careful. You should know nothing good comes from making them angry." Shijūgo bowed respectfully, and walked away.

The crowd began to disperse. "For a supposed disciplinarian, he himself seems to enjoy pushing buttons, no?" Rose questioned. "I'll say. Saying that garbage about my brother, who does he think he is? Would've clocked him myself if it'd gone on any longer." Rin griped. "Sorry for stepping in like that. My old man always told me to treat women right. Seeing bullshit like that makes my blood boil." Jin said. "Oh, don't apologize. I would've dropped him like a rock if you didn't step in." Tenko said. "Would've gotten some enjoyment out of that, to be honest..." Hiyoko added.

The group walked back to class. Shijūgo looked on from behind a building. He took out his phone, and began to type.

Later on, the group gathered in Rin's dorm. "Alright, what's this about, Jin?" Rin asked. "Okay, I just looked at the website to see if we could jump into anything, and well...look at the most popular topic." Jin brought up the website, and the topic with the most traffic bore the title "KUROJŪ MISHIMA". "Apparently people weren't too thrilled about his display in front of the notice board. Look at all the comments."

"Dude's a piece of trash. He uses his position to expel anyone he doesn't like with trumped up charges. Who'd believe he was lying?"

"A friend of mine called him out on his BS and got a beating because of it. Then the asshole gave himself a black eye and told the rest of the committee my friend gave it to him and he fought back in self-defense. My friend got expelled, and this creep's still walking around like nothing."

"He's just hired muscle. Everyone knows he probably did in poor Tohru Kubo, but no one can say anything. At best he's a hypocrite, at worst he's a criminal."

"They all want his head. Frankly after today, I'm clamoring for it myself. But it's not my call to make. What's your call, boss?" Jin asked. Rin thought it over. "This guy's clearly a thug and a bully. And on top of that, people seem convinced he was involved with Tohru's death. It'd be dumb to overlook this." "OK. Sounds like a plan. He's had his fun, now it's time for karma to get a word in. And if he had something to do with my brother's death...we'll get it out of him." "Okie dokie. So, we need something with his code on it to get to his Palace, right? How do we do that?" Hiyoko asked.

"Maybe I can be of some help."

The group turned around in surprise. Shijūgo was standing there. "How'd you--?!" Shūjo began. "The door was open just a tad. Normally I wouldn't just barge into a lady's quarters like this, but I overheard your conversation. I'd come to ask if you knew how to contact the Shinigami Order...but it looks like I found them myself." "OK, dude, we know the committee thinks we're criminals, but we--" Tenko began. "You don't need to explain anything. I'm the one who posted the formal request for you to change his heart." The group looked surprised. "Startling, I know. But I've been concerned for a while that Mishima-sama's actions haven't been in anyone's best interests but his own. Today's display only reaffirms to me that he needs to change. So, can you all really do it? Can you change his heart? If so, I'd like to come along myself." Rin was stunned. "Are you...really sure about this?" "Yes ma'am, I am. I learned to let go of any fear a long time ago. And I'm not new to combat, either, if that's what's needed. I'm more than capable of carrying a heavy workload."

Rose approached Shijūgo. "Your fortitude is to be admired, Mr. Oda." "Please, ma'am. If we're going to be partners on this venture I wouldn't mind you all calling me Jugo. Most already do." "Alright. Jugo it is then. I believe you will handle yourself just fine. Now, you have something of Mishima's, yes?" "Indeed I do. Here: his school ID. He dropped it during the incident at lunch and I haven't been able to return it. So, how exactly is this going to work?" "Oh, you'll see."

Rose scanned the ID on her phone. A door appeared. "Whoa..." said a surprised Jugo. "Dude, you haven't seen anything yet." Rin said. The group entered the door.

On the other side of the door was a dull, gray world covered in snow. There, was a large military fortress surrounded with a wall that itself was covered in barbed wire. Jugo was speechless at the sight of it. "I have...several questions." he uttered. "We'll try answering them as we go along." Rin said. "I am...a quick learner." Jugo answered.

The group hid behind a large pile of snow. Guards dressed in black military garb, lacking any facial features save for glowing red eyes, were standing watch atop the wall's towers. "Alright, how do we take care of the welcoming committee?" Shūjo asked. "Leave that part to me." Hiyoko answered. Her Persona appeared before the guards, and summoned forth a bell. The guards took aim, but the woman sounded the bell, causing the guards to crumble and dissolve into shadow. "Guess they aren't fans of my music." Hiyoko quipped. "I don't blame them. Have you heard your singing voice?" Shūjo added.

"Now how do we get over this wall?" Tenko asked. "I got this." Jin said. He summoned forth his Persona, which forged a stairway out of ice going over the wall. "You all thought I was gonna use the chain, didn't you?" Jin asked. No one said a thing. "Oh, come on. This isn't Dynasty Warriors 9. I'm not that dumb." The group went over the wall.

As the group were about to enter the fortress, they heard a commotion from inside. They peered in through a window. Inside there was a large room, where numerous soldiers were lined up. A door opened up, and out stepped Mishima. His uniform was now adorned with a dark trenchcoat, with a matching dark military-style cap and dark gloves. His eyes glowed yellow. The soldiers all stood and saluted in unison. "Mishima-sama...?" said a stunned Jugo.

"My brave men...you stand here on the cusp of a brave new future. A future where Japan stands alone atop the planet as the supreme military power! Through your efforts, Naruki Ascension Academy shall soon become a training ground for the youth of this great nation to become the samurai of a new age! Once our bretheren have subdued the political realm, Japan's destiny as a military force will be all but realized! All that needs doing now..." He motioned to one of the soldiers next to him. The soldier brought out a hostage: a shadowy woman bound with rope. "...is the elimination of any and all carnal distractions to your better interests!" He pulled out a pistol, and promptly executed the woman.

"Listen here, men! These base urges you feel are naught but an obstacle to this nation's glorious destiny! The female of the species has long tormented and halted our progress with its frailty and incessant whining! Cast all those urges aside, and drive your passion and rage towards a stronger Japan! Give me all your blood and anger! Your country's future depends on it! Do I make myself clear?!" "SIR, YES, SIR!"

The group looked on in shock. "What on Earth am I looking at...?" said a stunned Jugo. "Good God, and I thought Kyōshinja was full of it. This guy's insane!" said Rin. "I...I knew that Mishima-sama wasn't all that fond of women, but...this is outrageous." Jugo added. "Seriously, do all these creeps have girl problems?" Hiyoko asked. "What was that about complete military takeover and his comrades taking the political world? Does he mean Ishimaru and Hibiki? Is that what their end goal is?" Rose asked. "Sheesh. My only plans are for when I'm gonna eat next. These guys got an entire countrywide overthrow planned out." Jin said. "So how do we get in there?" Tenko asked.

"Stop right there! Where did you all come from?" A soldier aimed his rifle at the group. "Huh? Lieutenant Oda? What are you doing with these criminals?" Jugo paused for a moment. "I...I was just in the process of arresting them. I caught them trying to sneak into the base." "You captured them? How did you do that without a weapon--" Jugo moved quickly, snatching the rifle away and shooting the guard, who fell and dissolved. The rifle faded away with him. "So much for a weapon." Jugo griped.

"My, my. The things you come across on an afternoon walk."

Mishima's Shadow appeared from around the corner, flanked by a pair of guards. "Mishima-sama!" "That's General Mishima to you, Lieutenant. And what a good lieutenant you are. You've gone and captured these violent insurgents to bring to me as a sign of loyalty! And to do it unarmed, perhaps you do have your uses." "What...?" "Now, I'm going to assume that these are the Shinigami I've been warned of? How easily you've let yourselves be discovered. But then, seeing that you're mostly girls goes a long way to explaining that." "Disgusting asshole." Hiyoko griped. "The kind of lip service I've come to expect from you lot. Japan will truly be saved once you squeeling quims are taken care of." "Alright, listen you piece of--" began Rin, before Jugo intervened.

"Mishima-sa--er, General. Is this really what it's been about? Your taking over the Disciplinary Committee was just a platform for turning the academy into a training field?" "Oh, dear me, Lieutenant. And here I thought I'd made myself clear. Seems you inherited some of that trademark American ignorance. Very well, I'll elaborate. Yes, I intend to use the academy to develop a strong army to use in guiding Japan to military supremacy. Anyone I see standing in the way of that path, I'll see disposed of." "This is ridiculous..."

"Was my brother in the way of your demented little scheme? Is that why he's dead now?" Rin demanded. "Hmph. As if I have anything to say to someone like you. Lieutenant!" "Huh?" The Shadow dropped a rifle on the ground. "Kill the girls for me." Jugo looked shocked. "What...?!" "I can easily whip these men here into fighting shape, but the girls...they're beyond useless. So be useful for once and dispose of them for me." "This guy's unreal...this is who you've been following, Jugo." Tenko said.

Jugo looked down. "How funny...all my life, I was taught that a superior's orders were absolute. But what am I supposed to do...when the one giving me orders is a complete monster?" "Hngh? What was that?" "I've decided...General. I'm not going to do your dirty work for you. I'm going to stand right here...and ignore everything you demand of me." "Why, you...!" "I'm not your personal lapdog. I'm going to see to it that this miserable future you want...never comes to pass!"

'You have reached the logical conclusion, at last.'

Jugo's eyes widened. He began reeling in pain, but composed himself enough to continue standing.

'The life of order has begotten you servitude to a madman's vision. A violent fate awaits if you do not act. Do you stand still and do nothing, or move forward and tear this vision asunder?'

"You already know the answer to that. I want to give him hell."

'A wise answer. Allow me to lend you my strength.'

Jugo's eyes turned yellow as the pain grew more intense. Even then, he stood firm.

'I am thou, thou art I...nothing can be gained from a life of submission. A deluded fool cannot sit atop the natural order. Time to bestow upon the blighted legions, the fate that awaits all tyrants!'

With a loud grunt, Jugo was engulfed in blue flames. As they dispersed, he was garbed in what appeared to be samurai-style armor, with green camouflage patterns, and wore a pair of black-and red goggles. He stood atop a gaint red tank-like machine, with an Oni mask perched on the front. Accordingly, the word "ONI" was scrawled on the sides of the tank in big black letters.

"What the hell...?" said a stunned Shūjo. "That my dude...that is a tank." said an equally stunned Jin. "This power...this is what I really wanted." Jugo said. "What's wrong, 'General'? You should be used to people not listening to your orders by now. But I guess...none of them had Oni at their disposal, huh?" A nervous-looking Mishima grumbled. "Grrr, dead set on this insolence, are you? Fine, be that way." The Shadow adjusted his collar, then snapped his fingers, as more soldiers manifested behind him. "Don't let them into my base, you hear me?! Kill every last one!" The Shadow fled.

The soldiers took aim. "One man versus an army, huh? Alright then, let's see what this baby can do!" Jugo brought out what looked to be a rifle, though looking more like it belonged in a sci-fi film. He began charging it, while the tank also charged up an attack. The Shadows fired, but their shots bounced right off the tank. Jugo and the tank then fired their shots at once, causing a huge explosion that wiped the soldiers out.

The group looked on. "Holy crap..." Rin uttered. "That Persona...I've never seen anything like it." Rose said. "HOOWEE, now that's what I'm talking about!" Jugo shouted. "Alright, now what's the plan? We going after that lunatic?" "Not yet. The doors to the base aren't gonna open until Mishima knows we're coming after him. Let's head back for now. We'll figure out what comes next." said Rin. "Yes, ma'am. Let's put an end to his scheme once and for all." Rose summoned forth a door, and they walked out.

Atop a nearby cliff, a shadowy figure looked on. He snickered to himself, before vanishing.

\---

OCTOBER 3, 2019

NARUKI ASCENSION DORMS

"Alright, all done." said Rin. "Now all you've gotta do is get it in his hands. Remember, that wasn't the real him yesterday. The real one doesn't know a thing about what happened. Just make sure he reads it, and then it's smooth sailing from there." "Understood. He should be in the committee's meeting room. I'll get it to him posthaste." said Jugo.

Jugo departed to the meeting room. Mishima was sitting by himself, when Jugo knocked on the door. "I hope I'm not interrupting?" he asked. "Oh, Jugo. Just the man I wanted to see." Mishima said. "I was just starting the planning stages of punishing that bastard Mirai. Nitwit thinks he can play the chivalrous knight, he has another thing coming..." "Right...sir, I have something for you." "Huh? What's that?" Jugo handed over an envelope. "This was hanging from the notice board. It's addressed to you." Mishima opened the envelope.

Kurojū Mishima, you have been found guilty of indulging in the sin of wrath. Your inner hatred has led to misery for many around you, and your desire for power has led you down a dark path. To ensure that your twisted vision never comes to pass, we will cleanse your soul without fail. You have been warned. - The Shinigami Order

"Are you kidding me...?! Those crooks think that I'm the twisted one?! Idiots...damned idiots!"

His Shadow repeated the sentiment.

"I won't let these damned insurgents destroy everything I've worked to build...I will forge this country's future, and no terrorists will keep me from doing it...!"

"Grr, I won't let this slide! Get me to the intercom room! I won't go down quietly...!"

Later, Jugo arrived at the dorms. Upon entering Rin's dorm, where the others had gathered, the school's intercom system turned on.

"This is Disciplinary Committee chairman Kurojū Mishima. I would like to inform you all that the criminals known as the Shinigami Order have just threatened an attack on me for perceived unjust behavior. I'm here to inform you that I won't submit to idle threats, and that anyone caught collaborating with these crooks will be dealt with accordingly. And to the crooks themselves...come and get me."

The system turned off. Hiyoko burst out laughing. "This moron, he's completely spazzing! I love it!" "Welp, guess we know he's onto us." Shūjo added. "Permission to put him out of his misery, ma'am?" Jugo asked. "Permission granted. Let's get a move on, Rosie." Rin said.

The group appeared right in front of the door to the base. They broke it down. All that was in the room was Mishima, sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. "Do you really have to make so much noise?" he griped. "Joke time's over, creep. We're here to clean up your act." Rin said. The Shadow snickered. "Do you imbeciles even appreciate the amount of work that goes into building an army? How much having to discipline you lot wears on my mind?" "You don't have room to complain. I've seen generals conduct themselves much more fairly than you do. All you are is a bully with delusions of grandeur." Jugo retorted. The Shadow sighed. "I truly expected more from you, Lieutenant. It appears I'm yet again left disappointed. Oh, well." The Shadow snapped his fingers, and the floor behind him opened up. What rose up was a giant, grey mech, which the Shadow entered. "Now you terrorists will understand what it means to have to submit! I look forward to crushing you all beneath my--"

Before he could finish that thought, Jugo used his Persona to blast a hole right through the mech, which promptly fell over. The Shadow was stunned. "If there's one thing I've come to understand, it's that without your men surrounding you, you're just a sad, angry little man. And nothing you could do could ever be truly threatening." Jugo said.

Rin pried open the cockpit and grabbed Mishima up by the collar. "Alright, creep, time to come clean. Tohru Kubo. What do you know about his death?" she demanded. The Shadow gave a nervous laugh. Rin pressed her sword to his throat. "Really wanna keep that up?" she said. "I-I don't know. It wasn't me--" "You really expect me to believe that?!" "I-Ishimaru thought it'd be too obvious, so we...we hired a guy..." "So you bastards did set it up! Who'd you get to carry it out?!" "I-I don't--" She brought the sword closer. "He wouldn't show his face, okay?! He wanted to keep it professional, all he said was that he was in our class--"

Before he could say another word, a shot rang out. And before Rin knew it, a single hole appeared on the Shadow's head. He gargled a bit, before dissolving into nothing. "Wha...Jugo, what did--" she uttered. "That...that wasn't me..." Jugo answered.

The stunned group looked behind them. Standing there, was a figure wearing a red cloak, with red boots, gloves, and two sets of ammunition draped over his shoulders, forming a cross. A single glowing eye could be seen coming from under his hood. He held a pair of long-barreled revolvers, one of which gave out a smoke trail. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You know the old saying, Mishima. 'Loose lips sink ships'." he said.

He put away his revolvers. "Guess I got here just in time. Hi, Rinnie. Been a while. Close to a year, methinks." "Who the hell are you...?" "Who, me? Tsk, that's a shame. Didn't our dearly departed Mishima-san just tell you?"

"I'm the hired gun. The guy who killed your bro? That'd be me."

Rin's eyes widened. "You...you're the one who..." "Yep. I did. With this." He brought out a crowbar. "An old classic. I like to just look at it sometimes. Heck, you can see it bent a little from where I--" Before he could finish, Rin lunged at him, slashing at him. However, when she brought the sword down, she saw that half of it had been broken off. "You really shouldn't interrupt people, Rinnie." She looked up, and saw a glowing man draped in robes holding the other half of her sword. "Guess big bro never taught you about good manners. Hyperion." The robed man swatted Rin away, sending her flying into the wall. "Rin...!" Tenko shouted. "That's...a Persona...?! It can't be..." said a confused Rose. "Oh it can, sweetheart. Now hush hush. I'm in the mood for some target practice."

He drew his weapons. Tenko jumped in front of the others, and readied her shield. "Not today, budd--" she began. He fired his gun, which shattered the shield and went right through Tenko. She collapsed to the ground. "What the--" Hiyoko uttered. Jin became enraged. "You're fucking dead!" He lunged at the red man. "You first, lover boy." He grabbed Jin's chain, pulling him forward, before summoning his Persona, which promptly punched right through Jin. "Girls are nothing but trouble, dude. Trust me." the figure said. The robed man tossed Jin aside.

Jugo began firing at the man, who dodged every shot. "I feel like I'm in the chiropractor's office here. You morons got this far sucking this bad?" With one well-placed shot, he shattered Jugo's rifle, the shot passing through Jugo. He collapsed. "And here comes the next blockhead..." Shūjo lunged at the man, who promptly blocked using his Persona. "...right on cue." The Persona punched Shūjo in the head, driving him into the ground. Hiyoko brought out the bell, but it was immediately shattered by the man's gun. "Ah ah ah, sweetie. Just sit tight, I'm not asshole enough to shoot an unarmed girl." He turned around. "Oh wait. Yeah I am." Without turning, he shot Hiyoko.

The man approached Rin, but Rose blocked his path. "Whoever you are, I won't let you near her...!" "Honey, just turn around and leave before you get hurt. This is getting embarrassing." Rose summoned her Persona, but as the strings approached the man, his Persona grabbed them, destroying them with ease. "I warned ya." He shot her once in the chest, and she collapsed.

He went over to Rin, and grabbed her by the neck. "Don't you fret, Rinnie. They're not dead. Our little game wouldn't be fun if I killed most of the players this early on. I want you to get close, real close to figuring it all out. Then, only then, will I come back to finish you all off." "Who...who are you...?" "Would I be wearing this getup if I wanted you to know that? If you insist on giving me a name, just call me "The Reaper." But now, I need to bid you adieu." He tossed her to the ground. "Give Mama Hana and the Tan Man my regards. I'll be in touch." He took out his crowbar, and struck her with it.

Rin jarred awake. She was back in her dorm. She checked for injuries. She had none. She looked around, and saw the rest of her friends lying around, slowly coming to. "What was that...didn't we all just die?" Jin grogged. "That man...his power was unreal...how did he have a Persona...?" Hiyoko questioned. Rin thought for a moment. "Wait a second...Mishima. His Shadow was killed. What does that do to Mishima...? Rose, what happens now?" Rose looked horrified. "If one's Shadow dies before the change of heart, then that will lead to a complete mental...oh no. We have to go, now!" "He should still be in the committee's room, follow me!" said Jugo. The group ran.

They arrived at the office, to a horrifying scene. Mishima was writhing in pain, screaming. His eyes had rolled over to the back of his head. He collapsed to the floor, and after a few moments, ceased all movement. The group stood in shock. Shūjo checked for a pulse. "Is...is he...dead...?" said Rin. "Oh...oh fuck." Shūjo muttered. "Someone go get help, now!" Jugo yelled. Jin ran out of the room, as Jugo tried to resuscitate Mishima.

Rin only stood, dumbfounded.

"What...what the hell just happened...?"


	5. "Fearful Symmetry"

OCTOBER 5, 2019

NARUKI MARKET DISTRICT

"Huh? What's going on here?"

Rose, Tenko, Shūjo, Hiyoko and Jin stood in front of the Kubo store, looking at a notice sign that had been placed on the door.

Notice: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the market will be closed for the day. We apologize for any inconvenience.

"Miss Hana didn't tell me it would be closed today..." Rose said. "'Unforeseen circumstances', huh..." Shūjo commented. None of the group needed to ponder over what that meant. Ever since Mishima's death and the subsequent questioning over the circumstances, no one in the group had heard from Rin. Any attempts at contact fell through. They assumed she was hiding out at her house, but her mother had said nothing.

"Figured I'd find you guys here." Jugo approached the group, wearing a simple blue shirt with green camo pants. "I'd heard this would be the best place to try to find Rin, but from the looks of it..." "Yeah. No dice. She's ghosted." Hiyoko said. "How're things on your end, Jugo?" "A damned mess, to put it lightly. Leadership for the Committee's up in the air, and now there's investigations going on about just how much dirty laundry Mishima was hiding. Let's not forget people going nuts about his last address." "Damn, that's right. Hibiki's gone nuts trying to pin his death on the Shinigami. The website's exploded with back and forths about whose fault it was. It's one giant disaster." Jin said.

"And all the while..." Tenko began, "there's still no sign of Rin-Rin. Given what that red bastard told her, and everything else that's happened, she's gotta be a basket case. Just wish we knew what was going on..."

Just then, Rose's phone rang.

\---

RIN'S HOUSE

"Alright, Rin-chan, how's it going today?" spoke a male voice. Hana was sitting on the couch, watching home videos. On the screen, there was a young girl, ten years of age, with bright red hair, a red-and-white checkered shirt, a matching skirt, and red shoes. "Same as every day, Tan Man! Sun's out, and I'm happy as happy gets!" she exclaimed. In the background, a dark-haired boy wearing glasses and a black hoodie sat at a table, reading. "And how are we today, Tohru?" the male voice asked. Tohru just glared. "How many times do I have to tell you not to tape me when I'm studying, idiot?" he griped. "Grumpy as grumpy can be, as usual!" Rin exclaimed. "It's not 'grumpy'. It's 'preparing for an important exam'. Something this lunk couldn't tell you about, Ringo." "Yeah, you're right. I'll just teach her about, y'know, being a kid. Cuz that's what she is." "Whatever." Tohru got up. "Maybe if you're lucky he'll teach you his best breaking-and-entering techniques."

"Pssh. Killjoy. Alright, changing the subject. So, Rin-chan, can you tell me who the cutest redhead on the planet is?" Suddenly, Hana leapt into frame. "It's meeeeeeeeee~." she chimed, which caused Tan to reel back in shock, as Rin giggled.

Hana took the camera. "Alright, so for all the future fans out there, can Rin-chan explain who Rin-chan is?" "Okie dokie! Rin is like an apple, bright and red and good! When Rin grows up, she wants to write stories that make people as happy as she is!"

On the couch, Hana began to tear up. Upstairs, Rin lay motionless on her bed, curtains closed, with a saddened look on her face.

"Cuz after all, Rin-chan is a happy girl!"

Still teary-eyed, Hana picked up the phone and dialed. "Hey, Rosie. Yes, I know...I'm sorry I didn't let you know. It's just...Rin isn't doing too good. Frankly, I'm not either. If it's not too much trouble, could you come over to the house? And bring your friends, if you can...please. I don't know what else to do..."

The video continued in the background. "You're a natural, Rin-chan. You're gonna make a lotta people happy someday, guarantee it." said Tan.

Tohru could be seen in the corner of the screen, glaring, before walking away.

\---

A short while later, the group arrived. "Sorry about calling you all on such short notice." "It's no trouble at all, ma'am. We've all been worried about Rin. How is she?" Jugo asked.

As if on cue, Rin appeared at the top of the stairs. "Tch. Seriously? You had to call in backup?" she grumbled. "I see you all are just fine and dandy. What with the 'being witness to someone's death' thing and all. Just as lovely for me the third time around." "Rin-chan, please, they just want to--" Hana began. "Drop the 'chan', already, mother. I'm not a child. And as for you all, there's nothing wrong with me. Nothing that wasn't already wrong, anyway. But whatever. Not like you all give a damn, anyway." She went back up the stairs, and shortly after the sound of a door slamming echoed.

"...I'm losing her. I'd thought she was starting to come around, but she's worse than ever now. That was the first time she'd come out of her room in a day. She's barely eating, she won't say a thing about what's wrong. She's never shut me out like this. I'm completely and utterly lost." Hana said. "This...this isn't her. This isn't the Rin I know. I know what grief can do to someone, but this is beyond anything I've seen. She's acting more and more like..."

"...I want to show you all something. You need to see the Rin I know. The real Rin." She played the video again. "Unreal..." Shūjo mused. "This is like a completely different girl...I wouldn't guess this was Rin-Rin on personality alone." Tenko added. "This was her. This was always her. Upbeat, colorful, beaming every hour of every day. Even after her father's death, she tried to keep it positive. But a few months before Tohru's death, I started to notice a shift in her. She was getting darker, not opening up to me as much. I knew something was wrong when she changed her hair. Rin never would've done that. She loved the way her hair looked. She said it was because people were making fun of it, but anyone I talked to thought it was beautiful. Then after Tohru passed...she became so distant, so cold. All those bright red colors she adored turned black. Even her writing started to change. She always wanted her writing to make people happy. But this was dark, grim. It was like the Rin I knew was completely gone. And it broke my heart to see her like this."

"I was so happy to see her open up to you all...so happy to see her take those bandages off, to see her changing her hair back. I thought my happy little apple blossom was coming back. But now...now I don't know who she is. And I'm afraid of what she might try to do. So I...I wanted to ask a favor of you all."

"I want you to change Rin's heart back to how it was."

The group looked stunned. "Miss Hana...? How do you know about--" Rose started. "I saw everything about that Mishima boy's death on the news. I'd thought that was all Rin was depressed about, but I looked into this Shinigami Order, and how they change the hearts of people. I noticed this all started after Rin met you all. I made an assumption, and your reaction tells me everything. A mother knows when something's wrong with their child, and this is seriously wrong. So please. If you can bring my Rin back, I would be eternally grateful."

"Miss Hana...we want to help, we really do. But see...I don't know if we can do anything more with her heart. I had thought she'd already opened up, and that this was just how she was. I don't know if there's anything we can really do." Rose explained. "I can check, just in case, but I don't...huh?!" Rose looked stunned. "Eh? What's wrong?" Jin asked. "This...this can't be...how can she have a...? If she has a Persona..."

Rose shook her head. "Miss Hana. I don't know how it's possible, but there may yet be a way to turn Rin around. If this isn't a mistake, then we'll do anything and everything in our power to save her. I give you my word." "I'm still not sure I understand everything...but if you really can help her, then you have my thanks. Please. Help this one tired woman find some peace of mind." "We will, Miss Hana. Right everyone?" Everyone nodded. "Damn straight." Shūjo said. "The bestie code demands it." Tenko added. "I'm still new to this whole thing, but if you're saying this isn't normal, then I couldn't just leave it alone. I'm in." Jugo said.

Rose nodded. "Thank you, everyone. I'm so grateful to have you all. And so is Rin. We need to remind her of that." She pressed a button on her phone, and a door appeared. "Oh my..." said a surprised Hana. "We'll be back, Miss Hana. Hopefully, with your daughter as you remember her. I couldn't call myself a real person if I left someone I care about to suffer. I swear on my life, I'll bring her back." Rose said. Hana smiled at this. "Thank you, Rose. Please, bring my apple blossom back to me." The group entered the door.

Hana got up, and looked at a family portrait. She sighed. "If it's you that's done this to her..." she mused.

\---

The group appeared in a sepia-toned field. "This is Rin's Palace...? It's just a big, empty field..." Hiyoko said. "Yeah. I don't see anything you'd call a landmark. Just grass and more grass." said Jin. Rose took on a ponderous look. "What's wrong, Rosie?" Tenko asked. "Everything about this feels so...off. Not just there being nothing here, but that it even exists to begin with. Rin should've awoken to her true self, that's why she has a Persona. So why has she regressed? Why would there be such a gigantic distortion in her heart?" "Something's off, that's for sure. Even with nothing here this place gives me the creeps..." Jugo said.

"Where do we even begin?" Tenko asked. Then, a single raven flew overhead. "My best guess? Follow the creepy bird." Shūjo remarked. The group followed the crow, eventually reaching a single, leafless tree. The bird perched on the finger of a solitary figure: it was Rin, as she had looked when she first entered the academy. Her hair was short and brown, and her arms were covered by her jacket. Her eyes glowed yellow. The group approached. "Rin? Is that--"

"When the stars threw down their spears, And water'd heaven with their tears:  Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?" Rin mused. The group looked confused. "Oh, the uncultured youth of the world. William Blake's The Tyger. Quite the fascinating piece. It's a philosophical question of whether or not all that is good was created by the same being that created all that is bad. Surely the same God that created the peaceful lamb must have also created the predatory tiger, yes? It's food for thought. Not that I would expect you all to give it much thought."

Rose stepped forward. "Rin, what on Earth is happening with you?" she asked. "Hm? Did anyone else catch that? Thought I felt a pleasant breeze just then..." "You can't hurt me with your words, Rin." "Well, of course not. You'd have to be real in order to feel pain, after all." Tenko stepped up. "What the hell? What's gotten into you?" "Hmm, protective as always, eh? And here I thought we were besties. Though that did only take you five seconds before calling me that. But what else should I expect from the girl that fell in love with a shut-in with no future?" Tenko and Jin both looked stunned. "You're seriously out of line, girl!" Hiyoko yelled. "Oh, speaking of no future. Did mommy let you out of your cage? Or did the lunks next to you need it more?"

The group all bore disgusted looks. "Rin, I don't know what's going on, but this can't be the real you. We saw the footage, we know how you used to--" Rose began. "You can just stop there, puppet. There's a little thing called 'growing up' that happens to real people. Real life kicked hard, and so here I am, adapting. Frankly, I could do it alone, but you lumps had to come along and force yourselves in. In case I haven't made it clear: you aren't needed anymore. I can keep up my quest for vengeance on my own." "'Vengeance'? 'Not needed'? Who the hell are you?" Jin demanded.

Rin summoned forth a flock of ravens. "Out of my sight, you curs. Or you get to ask God in person whether he made the tiger." Begrudgingly, the group walked away. Rose gave one final look, before turning away.

The group walked for some time. "Can't believe she said all that garbage. That came from a place of hate." Jugo said. "Is that it, then? Has she hated us all this whole time? What are we supposed to tell her mom?" Tenko said. "We can't give up now. Rin's been twisted by something, there has to be a reason why this Palace exists..." Rose added. Then, Shūjo noticed something in the distance. "Hey, what's that over there?" he asked. The group went over to what he had seen. There, in the middle of the field, in full, bright color, was the Kubo Store. "Her family's store...and it's not sepia like everything else." Tenko said. "A single bright spot amongst a field of darkness...this must be the only place she really feels safe." Jugo said. They went inside.

It was as it was in the real world, and it was in full color like the outside. "Same as it really is. Amazing that it's not like anything else here. Wasn't this where her dad died?" Shūjo asked. "Maybe this is the one place where she chooses the positive memories over the bad ones. Her one safe place." Hiyoko said. "Maybe whatever we need to fix her is in here somewhere." Jin added.

They heard a noise. The door had opened. They turned to it, and were stunned by what they were looking at. A girl their age, with long, bright red hair, a red shirt with an apple pattern, a checkered skirt, red boots, red stud earrings and bright red finger nails stood there. She took a sip of her drink. Hidden behind her red-and-white sunglasses were a pair of glowing yellow eyes. "Oh, hiya guys! It's been so long since I've had visitors! Good thing I've kept the shop nice and tidy just in case, hehe." she said cheerfully.

It was Rin.

"So, how's today going for you guys? Sunny and bright, I hope!" she exclaimed. The group was speechless. "I think we'll go with...hopelessly confused." Shūjo said.

The group stood motionless, trying to process what they were looking at. Rin matched their confusion. "Huh? What's wrong? There something on my face? Or maybe...someone passed gas? I bet that's it! You'd better confess, pronto! Breaking wind without telling anyone is a big no-no!" Tenko looked over at Rose. "Rosie...have you..." "No. No, I've never seen anything like it. I've never seen anybody have two Shadow selves before." Rin spat out her drink at this. "Whoa, that was a big yikes! Hold on a sec, let me get clean..." She went over to the counter, and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Sorry about that, hehe. You just caught me by surprise, is all. Last I checked, I'm the one and only Rin-chan! If someone's dressing up as me, that's flattering, but also kinda sketch! Oh...unless you mean...that jerk." "Jerk? So then...you do know about the other Rin?" Jugo asked. "That meanie isn't another Rin! The creep showed up here about a year ago, and my space's gotten smaller by the day! The shop's all I have left. All my happy memories about Papa when he was alive are here. If that were to go away, then that jerk would have full control!" "Hold up, hold up, time out here. You're saying that other Rin wasn't supposed to be here to begin with? Is that why this place exists?" Shūjo asked. "Yep, you got it, JoJo! The jerk's been feeding off of Rin-chan's negativity, and it keeps getting stronger. It's almost to where Rin-chan won't have anything positive to think of, and it's all because of him!"

The group went silent. "Hold on...'him'?" Tenko asked. "You're saying that it's a guy doing all this?" "Heck yeah it is! He keeps taking away everything that made Rin-chan Rin-chan! He made her cut her hair and feel all angry all the time! I know things haven't been easy for Rin-chan, but I'd never do anything that would upset Mama so much. All he's doing is trying to make Rin-chan more like--"

Suddenly, the group was teleported back to the area with the dying tree. "What the...how'd we get back here?" Rose asked. "Guess we should ask 'her'." Jin replied. There stood the "original" Shadow. "I think you've said quite enough, imbecile." it said. "Y-you creep! Leave Rin-chan alone, already! Haven't you hurt her enough?" the true Shadow exclaimed. "This is making my head spin!" Shūjo said.

"I guess now would be as good a time as any to finally terminate you, pest." the fake said. "Once I'm done with you, I can finally start the full restructuring I've been planning all this time. Don't worry, I'll take much better care of that hair..." "I wish I had a fake moustache to give so you could twirl it all you wanted! It makes me so mad hearing that garbage come out of my mouth! Take it off, already!" "Hnh? Whatever do you mean?"

"I said take off my face, Tohru! This stupid game of yours is over!"

The group's eyes collectively widened. "Can...can we go back a bit?" Jin uttered. "Tohru...? Isn't that Rin's brother?" Hiyoko asked. The fake laughed. "Take it off? End the game? But there's still so much left to do! But fine, if you insist, I'll indulge you for a moment..." Shadows enveloped the fake, and when they subsided, there stood a high school-aged boy with dark hair, glasses, and a dark Naruki Ascension blazer. He adjusted his glasses.

"Greetings and salutations, imbeciles of the future. In case this rag doll wasn't clear enough, I am indeed Tohru Kubo. Or at least, I'm what's left of him." The group was stunned. "Her brother is in here? Are you some kind of cognition?" Rose asked. "Though it might be difficult for you pea brains to comprehend, I'm no mere cognitive creation. I'm what you might call an insurance policy. Against my own demise."

"You see, a few months before my body met its end, I discovered something fascinating. A way to travel to the world of mankind's cognition. By either divine intervention or plain stupid luck, I came across an odd tear in a wall on one of my evening walks. I pried it open, and what do I find but my own thoughts and emotions?" Rose was surprised. "I...I'd heard of tears appearing in the real world on occasion, but for someone to use one..."

"After months of practice and study, I eventually learned that my death was more or less imminent. And so, I made a backup plan in case something were to happen." Tohru brought forth a necklace with a skull symbol on it. "Imprinting part of myself on an object and giving it to the ideal host, so I could eventually resume actions even after death. At the cost of the host's individuality, of course." "The host...?! That's your sister you're talking about, you asshole! You were just gonna take her over like that?!" Tenko demanded.

"My sister always had such potential. Pity then, that she chose to waste her gifts and instead partake in childish interests. The world has enough optimists. I am a realist. I know what an ugly, sickly planet this truly is. And I knew a naive spirit like Ringo would've been eaten alive in such a world. I consider it an act of mercy." Shūjo grew furious. "Who the fuck talks about their own sister like that?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!" "Rin...she wanted so much to find out why you died. She's put her own life on the line. All this and here you are trying to take over her body?! She always talked like you were some great mind..." Tenko yelled. "Oh, I very much am. But again, I'm a realist. And I'm nothing if not generous. What better gift could a brother give to his younger sibling than a greater purpose?"

Rose shuddered with anger. "You...you've deceived Rin from the start. Gave her power, drove her to do things, all to lead her into despair. What was this all for, then?" "What was it for? Vengeance, what else! For that arrogant Ishimaru to think he had won, what better end could you imagine than him dying by my hands, after be believed me dead? And once he had met his end...then my true work could begin in reshaping the world. With greater power than one could ever imagine. What greater gift could I give to my dear, little sister?"

Rose clenched her fist. "You...I'd believed you to be an innocent, benevolent victim. But in truth...you're no different from Ishimaru. No, you're worse. To think that Rin's anguish all derived from such a selfish brother...you're beyond forgiveness. I'll see to it that you never cause her harm again. Your evil scheme ends now!" The group all dres their weapons. "Show's over, creep! We'll kick your ass and bring the real Rin back, for good this time!" Jin exclaimed.

Tohru cackled at this. "Oh, this is rich. Still thinking this is a battle you can win. You'll kick my ass, huh? I'd love to see you try, you lizard-brained nitwits!" Shadows enveloped him as his eyes glowed yellow. He transformed into a gigantic, black-feathered beast with piercing red eyes. "Now, ingrates...time to see which is the lamb...and which is the tiger!" he growled.

\---

Rin lay still in her bed. There was a knock at her door. "Rin-chan...can I come in, please?" Rin didn't answer. Hana let herself in. "Look, Rin-chan. I know you don't want to talk to anyone right now, but I need to say my piece. The way you've acted, the personality changes...are you trying to be more like Tohru?" Rin perked up at this. "Honey, I get it. It was horrible to see him die like that. I think about it every single day. He was my son, and I loved him as I love you. But to be perfectly, brutally forward...is he really what you want to emulate?"

"Tohru was brilliant. So, so brilliant. He was someone who could have changed the world with his mind. But one thing always held him back. You know this, Rin. He never valued people as people. He always saw things in terms of what could be used to his advantage. And I think that's what's happening now. He's, some way or another, turned you into him. But you aren't Tohru, Rin. You love people. You're my colorful, bubbly apple blossom. You could see the bright side of anything, and you would never commit selfish acts that you knew would hurt somebody else. You wanted to make the world happy. And it made me happy knowing that's who you were. I miss that Rin so much. I want her back so much. Please, Rin. Don't let the anger win. Because the Rin I love so much wouldn't."

Rin rose her head up. Tears streamed down her face. "Mama...I'm so sorry, Mama...I want to be me again, but I don't..."

Suddenly, the door to the Palace opened. Before she knew what was happening, Rin was pulled inside, to Hana's shock.

Rin landed in the grassy field. She looked up to see her friends engaging the giant bird creature. "What the...what's going on?" "They're helping you, Rin-chan." The Shadow walked over to her. "Our friends came here to help your heart! But they're in trouble. Tohru...he's too strong. He's fed off of your negativity for over a year. And he's had plenty to feed off of." "Tohru...? That creepy thing is..."

The monster gazed at Rin. "Ringo! There you are! See what your horrible friends are trying to do?! They're trying to kill me all over again! Are you just going to sit there and let them?!" "Don't listen to him, Rin!" Rose shouted. "He's been using you! He's stoked your negativity so you'd give up and he could have your body! He faked being your Shadow so he could fuel his scheme even more! Fight him! He's the enemy here!" "Shut your mouth, puppet! See what depending on people has brought you, Ringo?! Liars who would beg you to attack your own flesh and blood! If you have even one shred of intelligence, you'll help me annihilate them!"

Rin stood in silence. "Tohru...you've always talked to me like I'm an idiot. Like being happy was the same as being stupid. Like I was committing some grave sin for trying to keep a positive outlook, even after dad died. You've caused me so much grief, and I always put up with it because that's what a younger sibling should do. I don't...I don't know how I'm supposed to respond to this..."

"Be happy!" the Shadow exclaimed. "Huh?" "You respond and you win by being you! Face him down with a smile, and tell him you won't be miserable for him anymore! Because Rin-chan doesn't believe in anger and vengeance! Tell me something, right now! What is Rin-chan?"

Rin stared at her Shadow. She stared at her friends, at Tohru. A tear rolled down her face. She looked up at Tohru, and she smiled. "Rin-chan is like an apple. She's bright, and red, and good. Rin-chan only wants to make people happy. Because..."

"Because Rin-chan...is a happy girl!"

Her Shadow gave a big grin, then closed her eyes and disappeared. Rin opened her own eyes, now glowing yellow.

'Finally, there's the gaze I've been waiting for! My sweet, beautiful apple blossom. At last, you see the truth. No longer will you let anger drive your actions. No longer will you have to bow to the will of an angry spectre. Now, I can give you my true power!'

'I am thou, thou art I! No deceit, no betrayal shall hinder you any further! Face all your challenges with the light of everlasting hope! A hope that can undo any despair! Now let us banish this hateful wraith back from whence he came!'

Bright, blue flames engulfed Rin. "FOOL! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS YOU'VE REJECTED!" Tohru yelled. As he grabbed for Rin, a light rose up to shield her. Rin emerged from the flames, garbed in a red shihakusho, her hair tied back in a red ribbon. Above her floated an elegant-looking woman garbed in a white-and-pink kimono. Rin held out her hand, and in it appeared a large, glowing white spear. She opened her eyes, and smiled.

"I know what I'm rejecting, Tohru. I'm rejecting your anger. I'm through with being angry. I'm myself. Me. Rin-chan, the happiest girl on the face of the Earth! I promised I'd find what happened to you, Tohru, and I will. On my terms. With my friends by my side. And now, with the real me. With Izanami. No one's gonna stop me now! Not some criminal, or Ishimaru, or you! It's high time for you to rest in peace!" "NEVER!!!" Tohru screeched. Shadows emerged from Tohru's body, and tried attacking Rin. She raised her spear to the sky, and a bright light rained down, decimating the shadows.

Rin took on a battle stance, and prepared her weapon. "Goodbye, brother. I'll miss you." She lunged at Tohru, and plunged her weapon into his chest. He let out a ghastly yell, before crumbling away. What was left was Tohru's human self, crumpled on the ground. Rin landed, and approached him. She knelt down, and embraced him. "Why...? After everything I did, why...?" he said weakly. She smiled. "Because even though you're a pain in the neck, you're still my brother. That'll never change. You can get mad all you want, but at the end of the day, you're still my snooty older brother. And I'm still your bubbly little sister."

Tohru teared up. "I...I'm not ready to leave yet...I put you and mom and Tan through so much garbage when I was alive, and after dying...I never made up for any of it. I tried to take over your mind, and you're still here smiling, telling me you care about me...I can't go anywhere, knowing that's the last thing I did..." Rin kept up her smile. "Tell you what. Give me one smile. One genuine smile, and I promise you I'll do everything I can to bring Ishimaru and that red monster down. Think you can do that?" Tohru hesitated, but finally, he complied. "Heh...that doesn't feel so bad...hey, Rin...you think I'll see Dad where I'm going?" "Mmhmm. I guarantee it. And when you do, tell him it'll be OK. Me and Mama and Tan are gonna be alright. Tell him his little apple has it covered. Her, and this bunch of dorks." "Hahahaha...alright. It's a deal. Thank you, Rin. Thank you...and goodbye..." With that, Tohru disappeared.

Soon after, the group went back through the doorway, and reentered Rin's living room. Hana sat on the couch. "Rin-chan...are you alright?" she asked. Rin sprinted to her and embraced her. "I am now, Mama...I'm all OK now. I can be me again. I don't need to be angry. I wanna go out and buy all sorts of shiny red things, and wear bright red clothes again. And I...I want to make everyone happy. Especially you, Mama. I never want to make you sad again. Pinkie swear!" Hana teared up. "Ahahaha...there's my apple blossom..."

Jin tearfully blew his nose. "So beautiful...!" he exclaimed. Shūjo covered his eyes, trying to hide his own tears. "Sh-shut up, man...embarrassing yourself..." Hiyoko wrapped her arms around him. "Hehehe, look who's talking!" she exclaimed.

Rose gave a smile. "Yes, this is how it should be...this is how it really feels...love, and hope. Pure, eternal..."

Outside, Farquhar peered through the window. He gave a smile. "Dearest daughter of mine, at last you understand. All's well that ends well. Now, our tale can truly begin..." He walked away.


	6. "In the Words of Apple-chan"

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Hi, Papa. It's been a while, I know. I'm sorry I haven't written in a good minute, but life's been pretty nuts, to put it lightly. I've started at a new school, I've made a bunch of new friends, I've gone through one personality change just to go back to my old one. Heck, I've found out about an entire world inside of humanity's thoughts. I guess Tohru's probably told you about those last two, huh? Go easy on him, Papa.

Anyway, why am I writing this now? Well, it's starting to feel like things are calming down enough to where I can collect my thoughts. The Prime Minister's called for a week wide educational summit to assess "the state of our youth's progress" or something like that. So we've got an entire week to do whatever we want. Even better, Tan gets to come home in a week! I know Mama's really happy about this, and I am too.

So what am I writing you about, you probably just wondered to yourself. Well, with the week being completely free, I've decided to spend each day up to Saturday spending one-on-one time with one of my friends, to get to know them all better, and so they can get to know the real Rin. And I wanted to get my writing back up to snuff, and you always loved reading everything I wrote. So I wanted to tell you all about the friends I've made.

I'll be doing this like I'm writing a story, just like you liked, Papa. I can't wait to see what this week brings. Everything just feels so much brighter now, from my wardrobe to everything I'm feeling. I'm back to being me. And I'm loving everything I'm experiencing.

Well, guess that's as good a stopping point as any. I'll be back with more every day this week. After that, I haven't decided yet. I'll think of something.

Love you to the moon.

Signed, your apple blossom.

\---

OCTOBER 14

Chapter 1: The Lovers

In tarot readings, the Lovers Arcana is associated with friendship and relationships. There is much joy to be had in being able to understand and love another person. Being able to connect with others is a wonderous gift, and a sign of one who possesses a pure, cheerful heart.

I couldn't begin this letter any other way than with my roommate and bestie, could I? Her name is Tenko Kitsunezaru, and she's co-captain of the academy's fencing team. It took her all of five minutes of knowing me to start calling me her bestie, and I honestly don't even mind. Because all it takes is five minutes of knowing her to feel like you've known her forever. She's got short brown hair, and always wears something with green in it. So you know when we walk around, we look like we're celebrating Christmas year-round.

So of course, this morning she's up bright and early ready to get the day started. We haven't had much one-on-one girl time since the friend group's gotten bigger, so you can understand her enthusiasm. And oh, does she have enough of that for the both of us. She's one-hundred percent the social butterfly, almost the polar opposite of her boyfriend (more on him later). So when it's just the one person hanging out with her, you can bet that you'll have her full attention.

Well, unless she catches sight of a dog.

Around the middle of the day we're walking through the busier part of the city, when something catches her eye. In one of the alleyways, there was a dog, a little shiba inu, sitting next to a doorway. I could see Tenko's eyes start to glow even before looking her way. It took her just a few seconds and she was right next to it, kneeling down and petting it. "Oooh, look at the wittle boopsie!" she said with her best baby voice.

A few seconds later, an older gentleman holding a broom came out of the door. "Hey, what's the big idea?! You trying to kidnap my dog?!" "Wha-?! N-no, I was just petting him..." "You've got five seconds to scram before I call the cops!" I grab Tenko and start pulling her away, telling the old man that that won't be necessary. We make our leave. "Maybe don't have a pupper outside if you don't want people booping his nose!" Tenko yelled back, but I just kept her walking.

We went over to one of the public parks and sat on a bench. "Grrr, what a jerk! Doggo looked like he was begging for a hug..." Tenko was pouting at this. "I don't get it. I just want to give them a hug. Why does it keep getting me in trouble?" I ask her why she doesn't get one of her own. "Oh, I already do. But he's back home on my family's farm."

She hadn't mentioned that she lived on a farm. "Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yeah, my family owns a farm for animals in the northern part of the country. Horses, mainly. And of course, my little Fudo. He just turned one the other day. My mom keeps sending me pictures, and uggggh I wanna boop his little nose so baaaaad."

I noticed her face took on a bit of sadness to it. I asked what the matter was. "I just keep getting so distracted by things. I've tried to keep focus on things ever since Jin almost got...you know, but I see those cute little wagging tongues and my heart just melts. One of our prized horses actually got out of its stable when I was a kid cuz I forgot to lock it. I was too busy, you guessed it, petting our old dog. I absolutely would've brought my Fudo with me, but the school doesn't allow pets in the dorms. I just love having that soft thing to hold onto..."

I remind her that I'm right here if she needs to hug something. She giggles, and puts her arms around my shoulder. "Ohhh, Rin-Rin. You don't have a tail to wag around, but you're still your own kind of cute. And hey, you don't drink out of a toilet, so there's a thing you have going for you!" We had a good laugh, and moved on from the park.

After a few hours of walking around the shopping district, it was starting to get dark. We walked past a bar, and I noticed the sign out front. "American Karaoke Night tonight". Tenko gasps. "Omigosh, Rin-Rin! We should totally do it!" I hesitated at first. "Oh, c'mon! A little flower told me that you used to be quite the little choir girl." I tell her that I was six, and hadn't sang in years. But I thought to myself, what's the harm in taking a few risks? I told her I was down for it, and she beamed. "I love this new you, Rin-Rin! Let's bring the house down! Figuratively speaking, of course!" We went inside.

One other thing to mention about Tenko, she has a reputation around town as being the "Queen of Sake". Unfortunately for her, this particular bar didn't serve alcohol. I could feel her face deflating. "Well, shoot. Can't all be perfect." she said, pouting.

Then our moment came. I'll admit, having to sing in front of people put a pit in my stomach, but being with Tenko soothed my nerves. "Just follow my lead, you'll do great!" The music began. I swallowed. Nothing for it, now.

"'You can daaaance, you can jiiiive, having the time of your liiiife~'"

It was over before I knew it. I had no idea what kind of reaction it'd get, but the room went crazy. Tenko gave me a high-five. "Voice of an angel, bringing joy to the people! That's what you wanted, right? I think tonight at least, it's mission accomplished!"

I could feel myself turning red, and the dumbest grin went across my face. She could be distracted, sure, but she understands people better than anyone else I know. Being around Tenko gives me the confidence to let loose and be myself, and lets me know that no matter what, I'll always have someone there to push me along.

My bond with Tenko definitely deepened after tonight. I feel like we became besties in more than name. Now it really feels official.

I know you'd love her, Papa. Just like I do.

I'll be back tomorrow.

Rin

\---

OCTOBER 15

Chapter Two: The Hermit

As the name would suggest, The Hermit Arcana represents solitude, wisdom, and self-introspection. Solitude is usually perceived as being disguised despair, but there is a wisdom in taking time to analyze oneself privately. Self-study can be its own reward.

I went into today not knowing what to expect from Jinichi Mirai.

Jinichi, or Jin as we call him, comes from the same hometown as Tenko. They've been close for years, but their personalities couldn't be more different. Whereas Tenko is sociable and cheerful, Jin tends to keep to himself and outside of group gatherings, usually stays in his room playing video games. His gaming skills are what got him into the academy, but he insists he isn't very good.

Jin is very difficult to read, since he's so quiet. His appearance adds to the gloomy picture: short black hair, a goatee, a black and blue hoody and jeans, and usually a backwards cap. He's a bit stocky, but not big to where you'd call him fat. He just has this aura of intimidation around him.

Now, I know what you must be asking: what would someone like Tenko see in someone like Jin? Opposites attract, sure, but this still feels odd. It's why I was happy about this opportunity. This would be my first time hanging out with Jin away from Tenko. Maybe I could see what she sees. Don't judge a book by its cover, and all that.

It gets to be around 10, when he's supposed to come pick me up. I look outside my dorm, and there he is, sitting on the floor listening to music. I ask him how long he'd been sitting there. "About 20 minutes. Didn't want to rush you or anything." he tells me.

I sigh, but at least it was out of politeness. I grab my things and head out. "Have fun, you two! No funny business, y'hear me? And have her back by 9, or else I'll assume you've kidnapped her!" Tenko shouted out. "Yes, mom." Jin responded.

Jin insisted on getting food first. He says very little on the way there, and even less when we sit down to eat. I try to make small talk, asking him if he's from Tenko's home town or how he likes Naruki. Most of the questions I ask are met with one-word responses. "Yeah", "nope", "uh huh", so on and so forth.

I can sense this is going nowhere fast.

After eating we headed to the local arcade. The whole time Jin's felt more detached than normal. I'll be honest, I was starting to wonder if I was the problem. I mean, I guess spending time alone with your girlfriend's roommate is a bit out of the norm. Maybe...he's just pretending to like me so Tenko won't be upset?

I don't like thinking this way, but Jin's being very evasive, even more than usual. Before I could think of any other conspiracy theories, we arrived at his favorite machine. Super Street Fighter II: Turbo. Capcom love their adjectives I guess. I don't know.

I get beat. A lot. I start to show my frustration. "Don't sweat it. You're getting better." he tells me. Considering I've yet to take a single round from him, I find that hard to believe.

Before putting in for another game, he pauses for a second. "Hey, Rin...do you think I'm weird?" I'm caught off guard by this. He'd been so quiet, that kind of straightforward question was surprising. "I can see it on your face. I'm sorry. I'm...not very good at talking to people. Especially girls." I tell him that he seems to talk just fine around Tenko. "Yeah, but I've known her for years. She gets me, and I get her. Man, I'm really screwing this up..." He sighed. "I just...I want someone who really likes Tenko to like me, too. She gets along so easily with people, but I can barely string a conversation together. I can't relate to people like she does."

I'm honestly stunned. He wants to talk but doesn't know how, or about what. I ask him what he's interested in besides fighting games, that might help him relate to people. "Well...there is something. But...you're gonna think I'm weird. If you don't already." He really is terrified that I'll think he's weird. I reassure him that I won't, that I'd love to know what he's passionate about. He pauses to think. "Well...if you're really sure, then I'll take you to my favorite place in the city. Maybe it'll make more sense just to show you..."

I puzzled the whole way there what he could be so passionate about yet so afraid to mention.

I wasn't expecting Pokémon Center Naruki.

I'm staring up at the big red sign with the familiar Pikachu face on it. I turn and see Jin turning red. "You think it's weird, don't you?" he muttered. I laughed and told him that he made it sound like something horrible. Pokémon as a series is so insanely popular all around the world, why would he be ashamed to admit he was a fan? "Look at me, Rin. I'm not exactly the kind of guy you'd expect to be into cute things like this." I giggled. I tell him that being interested in something like this was nothing to be ashamed of, no matter how he looked. "Yeah, well...not everyone sees it that way." he mused.

"Anyway, how do you feel about, well...this?" He pointed at the sign. I tell him that I haven't played any of the games, but that I did watch the TV series when I was younger, and I remembered enough about it. "That so? Well...I'd be happy to teach you."

I'm floored by what I see inside the store. All sorts of clothing, figures, games. And so. Many. Plushies. I'd never seen so many stuffed animals in one place. "Intimidating, isn't it?" he asks. I ask him just how many of these things there are now. I'm speechless when he tells me there's around 700 now. And he tells me there's more coming soon!

He takes me over to one section filled with ones that look like foxes. He shows me a small, brown fox. I recognize it as Eevee. "This one...this one's my favorite. I have so many of these and its evolutions back home. I couldn't decide which ones I wanted to bring with me, and I ended up bringing none. I just love how adorable they all are..."

This was a side to him I hadn't seen. He seemed like a locked box before, but here, he was in his element. "I like to hug 'em when I'm feeling down. Hugging something soft always helps me feel better." He was starting to blush. "Aw, jeez...this is super embarrassing. But I can't help it. I...I love cute shit. And I love Pokémon. I just can't talk about it cuz people might call me a weirdo. 'Oh, look at the big dude hugging the stuffed toy. Furry alert!' I've heard it all before." I giggle. I tell him that he shouldn't be afraid of what people think of him. So long as what he likes isn't offensive or hurting anyone, then there wasn't a problem. I thought seeing him like this was endearing. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, there was one thing I wanted to grab."

He walked over to one plushie that looked like a brown puppy with what looked like rocks around its fluffy collar. "This is Rockruff. It's a rock puppy, if you couldn't tell. I wanted to grab it for Tenko. She loves her puppies, after all. And I know she misses her pup back home, so..." I tell him that's very sweet of him. He blushes again. "Sh-sheesh, it ain't that big of a deal. Any guy would do the same..."

He tells me he wants to look around a bit more and that I could wait by the front door if I wanted. After a few minutes he comes back with a bag that looks like it has more than one thing in it. "I got something...extra. I'll show you when we get back."

As we're walking back I start to feel it in my legs. "Hm, you OK?" Jin asked me. I tell him I'm just a little sore from all the walking. He tells me to hang on and he hangs the bag off his shouldet. Then...he picks me up and starts carrying me. "Yeah, I know. Last time I did this you gave my gut a good whack. But I can't just let you suffer like that." I insist that I'm fine, but that I wouldn't mind. I raised the concern that he was overdoing it between me and whatever he'd bought. "Tch, don't worry about it. Gotta be a gentleman and all that."

That brought something else to mind. He'd mentioned being gentlemanly a couple weeks ago when he stepped in to defend Tenko from someone trying to harass her. I asked him if that kind of chivalry was important to him. "Well, yeah. My old man always told me to treat women with respect. Stuff like this just comes naturally." I tell him his old man sounds like an old-fashioned guy. Jin paused. He got this sad look in his eyes. "Yeah...he was."

I decided not to press further. I knew all too well what that meant. I thanked him for his kindness. "Don't mention it."

We arrived at my dormroom. Tenko opened the door. "Well, don't you two look chummy." she said jokingly. "Would you prefer we looked like we just commited murder?" Jin asked. "And anyway..." He pulled the Rockruff plush out. "I know it isn't the same as a real one, but..." Tenko gasped. "PUPPER!" she exclaimed. She hugged it and started bopping it on the nose. She hugged Jin and gave him a peck on the cheek excitedly. "Sheesh, c'mon, there might be children watching--" he griped.

After that calmed down, Jin was still blushing. "Uh, one more thing, Rin..." he stuttered. He went back to the bag. He rapidly pulled something out and held it out. "T-take this!" he stammered, still blushing.

He held what looked like a mangosteen with two dots for eyes and a smiling face. "It's Bounsweet. It's, y'know...bouncy and sweet. And it's red, and fruity, so, y-y'know..." I spared him from his imminent fainting. I hugged him tight and thanked him for the gesture. "D-don't mention it. Today was fun, and I never really properly thanked you for saving my skin back then. If you ever wanna give a Pokémon game a go, I'd be willing to give a few pointers." I told him I'd hold him to it. "Well, guess I'll head on home. Have a good night, ladies." He started walking. I called out to him, and I told him he'd done a good job on the "me liking him" front. He was nearly red as a tomato by this point, and kept walking.

We went back inside. "That was a lengthy little hug you just gave him, eh?" I told her sorry, but that I wanted to confirm something. I told her that he himself felt like a teddy bear. She giggled at this. "See what I mean now?" I did.

He gave off the image of being a grizzly that wanted to be left alone, but Jin really was just a teddy bear. A big teddy bear that was sad that he wasn't getting enough hugs. This was a bear that'd hold open the door and pull out your chair instead of trying to hurt you. The lone wolf was really a big softy, after all.

I understand Jin far better now, and I can understand why Tenko feels the way she does about him. Hopefully he can start being more honest with himself after today.

Anyway, signing off for tonight. Time to go test out my new sleeping companion.

Rin

\---

OCTOBER 16

Chapter 3: The Empress

Representative of the ultimate maternal figure, the Empress Arcana represents compassion, sexuality, wisdom, and regality. To rear and love the younger generation is a blessed privilege. To care for and love those around them, is the hallmark of the ideal mother.

Smiling in the face of adversity is a mantra I've taken to heart. And I can't think of a better poster child for that mantra than Hiyoko Taiyō. The sun appears twice in her name, and her disposition matches her namesake. Always with her hair in braided pigtails, and always in bright yellow clothing, you wouldn't guess that her life up to this point hasn't exactly been ideal.

Her body's been ravaged by sickness, not helped by being raised by a fanatical mother who left her to fend for herself when she was young. If it weren't for another friend who helped her (you'll be hearing about him later), she would've been dead a long time ago. Even now, doctor's visits are a normality for her.

And yet...she keeps her head up. Even being as ill as she is, she talks about wanting to help children. Becoming a teacher, opening a foster home, anything to help out the youth that remind her of herself.

This is the sort of person whose brain I've looked forward to picking.

I went over to her room, just a few doors down from ours. When she opened the door, she looked a little groggy. I ask her if she's alright. "Oh, don't worry about me, hun. Just been taking some new meds. They've been kicking my you-know-what, but I should be good for the rest of the day." I'm skeptical, but I'm not a doctor, so I trust that she knows what she's talking about.

We head over to the shop. I feel I should let you know, Mama's going to let Tan run the shop, and she's going to buy the shop next door to sell flowers. I know it's something she's wanted to do for a long time, and I know it can be the perfect motivation to keep Tan on a good path going forward.

In the meantime though, me and Hiyoko went to pick up a big order. Hiyoko's taking me to an orphanage on the north side of town, and we're bringing them a truckload of fruit (Mama's driving us, don't worry). Mama's ecstatic about such a big order, and helping out little kids probably doesn't hurt, either. "I don't think I've ever seen this kind of kindness out of someone so young! This is a lovely thing you're doing, sweetie." Mama said. "That means a lot, Miss Hana. Thanks so much for helping us with this." Hiyoko answered. "It's no trouble at all. Your future kids are going to be so lucky, sweetheart. Now, let's get a move on!" Mama went outside, but Hiyoko didn't move. I asked what was wrong.

"Future kids, huh..." I heard her say. "Hey, Rin. You're really lucky, you know that? Having such a kind mother, and all..." She stayed silent for a second, then shook her head. "Well, don't want to keep her or those kids waiting by dillydallying. Let's go." We got in the truck and made our way there.

We get to the orphanage, and we're met with a sea of younger kids thrilled to see Hiyoko. She's clearly been here before, and the kids all crowd around her. "Alright, alright, settle down, kiddies. I brought a new friend with me. This is Ringo." I say hi to the kids, and tell them that they can call me Rin. One of the kids asks me if I'm called Ringo because I like red. Mama comes in and tells them that apple blossoms are her favorite flower, so she decided if she ever had a daughter, she'd name her Ringo. I've heard this story a thousand times, but the kids all went "awwwww" at it.

Another kid asked me where the scars on my arms came from. I try to think of something far less morbid than the truth, when Hiyoko intervenes. "Well, to tell you the truth, Rin here is actually a superhero! She got those scars trying to fight a bad guy!" The kids seemed to love this, and started asking me all sorts of questions. One asks why she'd never heard of me, and I tell them that I work away from people, fighting the bad guys before they tried doing evil acts. I tell them that it's always best to do good things because they're good, not for fame or attention. I tell them one last bit that the scars are a reminder to always do the right thing.

Hiyoko tells the kids that it was time to go pick out their fruit, and motioned for them to go out to the truck. I mouthed the words "thank you" to her for giving me the story to work off of. "Any time, Sentai Appleranger." she joked.

Hiyoko sits the kids down to eat. She hasn't lost her smile since she walked in. I comment on this to Mama. "Well, from what you told me she can relate a lot to these kids. Not strange at all that she'd want to make them happy any way that she can. Be the sort of mother figure she didn't have."

We stay with the kids for a couple more hours. Hiyoko's beaming the entire time. Several of the kids ask for my autograph, they can't believe that they're meeting a real superhero. They're all sad when we're about to leave, but Hiyoko comforts them. "Don't worry, kiddies. Auntie Hiyoko's gonna be back real soon. But part of me hopes I don't see you here, next time. Because that means you're part of a nice family by then! That'd be a wonderful thing, yeah?" The kids all give Hiyoko a group hug. I tell the kids to behave themselves, otherwise Sentai Appleranger (yes I'm sticking with that) is going to come for them. The kids say they will, and we bid them one last goodbye.

On the way back home, we pass by the Naruki Docks. "Oh, Miss Hana? Could you drop us off here, if you don't mind?" Hiyoko asked. "Oh, are you sure? Well, alright then." Mama dropped us off. She tells me to give her a call when we're done, and she drives off.

Hiyoko and I head for the fishing docks. I recognize it as the place she says she was saved by JoJo. "You know...my life was so close to ending here. I'd about given up when JoJo rescued me. I never really knew what kindness looked like before then." She turned to the sea. "I didn't say anything when your mom talked about me having kids someday. I would honestly love nothing more than to raise up some young ones of my own. But..."

"...my body's just so messed up. There's so much trauma in there that I couldn't risk carrying and delivering a kid of my own. The one thing I want more than anything, and my own body won't let me. I want to right my mother's wrongs so badly...be the kind of mother she never was..."

"I'd take all of those kids home with me if I could. I know more than anyone how hard it is, not having that support system. I would just love to have a stable home, raising all those kids with the person I love..." She doesn't give a name, but I have a fairly good idea who she's talking about.

"Rin...I wanted to thank you for bringing me along on this. I know my sickness makes it harder to keep up, but...I can't stand seeing selfish people acting like there's no consequences for their actions. Because it's the younger generation, the people left behind that pay the consequences. I'm sick of hypocrisy. I don't want there to be another Hiyoko."

I shake my head, and tell her that she's wrong on her last point. That the world needs more Hiyokos, that care so much and sacrifice even when their own body is turning on them. I say that her kindness is one of my main sources of inspiration. That smiling in the face of despair is my mantra. "Hahahaha...thank you, Rin. It's nice to hear that from someone. People like us need each other. Positive spirits keeping the happy thoughts going." She giggles. "I'd wager you'd make a good mom yourself, Rin." I'm startled a bit by the suggestion, but I thank her for it.

To truly love a child takes a special kind of heart. To want to save them from the hardships of your past takes an even more loving heart. To face obstacles both outside and from within, to have every reason to despair, yet choose to face them with a smile. Hiyoko embodies everything I want to be as a person. Any child would be lucky to be able to call her "mom".

I hope she gets that chance someday.

Rin

\---

OCTOBER 17

Chapter 4: Strength

The Strength Arcana, also known as Fortitude, signifies courage, self-control and unshakeable willpower. It is as much about strength of heart as it is strength of body. Those who possess great virtue and a calm temperament hold the power to endure life's greatest challenges.

I didn't know what to expect from Shijūgo Oda.

Jugo, as he insists we call him, is in the class above ours, and serves as a member of the Disciplinary Committee. He has something of a scrappy appearance, having dirty blonde hair with a bit of peach fuzz, a sign of his American roots. He tends to wear camouflage clothing, though his wardrobe is fairly simple otherwise.

He's only just recently joined our group, so I'm glad I get the chance to get to know him better. He has the kind of polite, orderly demeanor you'd expect from someone with a military family. And yet, he won't hesitate to disobey an order he finds unjust. This kind of virtue's harder to come by these days, so I'm happy that someone like this is my friend. I'm ready to head out...

...but unfortunately, Mother Nature had other ideas.

Rain had been coming down since the morning, and it was forecast to stay that way for most of the day. On top of that, Tenko and Rose (my other roommate--there's a lot to cover with her) went to Mama's shop earlier, and with the rain would probably be stuck there for a good while. I was preparing for a good round of solitaire, when I heard a knock on the door.

I opened it, and there was Jugo, dripping wet and holding an umbrella. "Hey there, Boss. Mind if I come in? I really would prefer not heading back out there." I'm a bit surprised to see him, but I let him in. I ask him why he went out in the rain like that. "Well, I made a commitment, Boss. Wouldn't be prudent not to honor it, rain or shine." I tell him that his chivalrous streak reminded me of Jin, but that with the weather there really wasn't much we could do. "Well, how about we just chat for a while? Least until the rain calms down."

I ask him if he'd ever been to America. "A couple of times, yeah. Mostly to visit my mom's family. Outside of that I stayed in Japan. Never visited the big cities there, though. Never really liked them. Even here it's a bit intimidating." I tell him that I understand completely, that as long as I've lived in the city, I'd love to live a quieter lifestyle. "Yeah. Totally. My dad was the top officer of a small town. The country life just comes more natural for me."

I tell him how his dad being a cop and his mom being a soldier explained his orderly personality. "Well, of course. Respect comes when it's given, that's what they always taught. No reason to be rude to someone that's given you no reason to be." Manners maketh man, as they say. I seem to attract gentlemen.

"So, boss...there's something I've been wondering about for a while. Your brother's being released from jail, right? If you don't mind me asking, what was he in there for?" I'm a bit surprised at the question. "Sorry. I don't mean to pry. I just find it a little hard to believe. Given your sunnier demeanor, to learn that you'd have one brother performing unsavory actions was surprising enough. That it was two was even more surprising." I pause to think. It wasn't something I'd given much thought. Tohru and Tan both had their troubles, sure, but I'd never really associated Tan with "unsavory actions". He'd just made some bad mistakes.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." I tell him that it's fine, that it wasn't something I was ashamed of. It was from a time when the shop was struggling a bit, and trying to support two teenaged kids and an adult son was putting a major strain on Mama. At this point Tan had already had some trouble with the law, and still hadn't learned his lesson. But he still wanted to help us. So in a show of bad decision-making, he tried to hold up one of the nearby shops. It didn't end well. He got caught almost instantly. It broke Mama's heart, and I think the turning point for Tan came when Mama confronted him, and asked him why he'd nearly done to someone else's parents what had been done to his own. This, I think, finally turned the light on in Tan's mind. The judge heard all of this, and gave him mercy. Only three years in jail, with the caveat that this would be taken as "strike two". Any more bad decisions after release, and there wouldn't be any mercy.

I explained all of this to Jugo. He seems a bit surprised. "I see...so a crime performed for noble reasons..." I could understand his confusion. His parents taught him the utmost respect for law and order, after all. I explained that Tan always had our best interests in mind. He's seven years older than me, so after your passing he took on more of a role of "dad". He thought there wasn't any other option, but understood more than anyone that his way of going about it was wrong. I tell Jugo about how deep down, Tan was a man of virtue himself. "Doing bad things for good reasons, huh...in my line of work, there's really no room for a grey area. There's just following the rules, and breaking them. But if your brother's wrongs were for an ultimate right, then..."

"Well, that's neither here nor there. I'm glad that he seems to have changed his tune, anyway. And agreeing to oversee the shop so your mom can fulfill a dream of hers is noble in and of itself. When he's released, I'd like to have a talk with him. See where his head is at. I wouldn't want you to place your trust in someone who wasn't one-hundred percent commited to living the right kind of lifestyle." I thank him for his concern.

"You know, it's funny...I've devoted my life to following the rules to the letter, but to find myself working in a way some would call unjust...I never would've guessed it would turn out that way. Then again, I never would've pictured myself working alongside someone like Shūjo Higashikata, either..."

That catches my attention. I ask whether Jojo's past would warrant that kind of comment. "Wait, seriously? You've been around him for almost two months and you don't know about his background?" I tell him that I've seen the snake tattoo, and that JoJo explained that it was from a lapse in judgement. Jugo paused. "Hmm...that's how he phrased it, huh...well, not that it matters now. The past is the past, so long as you've learned from it."

After a while of talking, Tenko and Rose arrived home. Jugo started to leave. "Well, don't want to impose on you all, so I'm going to head out. Today was very enlightening, Boss. You've given me a lot to think over. Say hi to your brother for me. Have a good night." I give him my goodbye, and he departs.

I'm genuinely impressed with Jugo's devotion to staying on the right path. Hopefully, talking to Tan'll give him the kind of insights that can help him in the future. I'm sure Tan can learn a thing or two, himself. I've got a feeling this can be a fulfilling partnership if it pans out that way.

But...his words about JoJo keep floating around my head. I'm meeting with him tomorrow, and now I've got questions about how upfront he's been with me.

I don't want any secrets between any of us. I know that letting the truth out is tough, but it's been a great boost for me and getting back to being my old self.

I hope it's nothing too serious.

Rin

\---

OCTOBER 18

Chpater 5: The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man Arcana represents being caught between two points in one's life, self-sacrifice, and martyrdom. Life is a cycle containing many paths one can take, and choosing which path to take may involve letting go of a part of oneself. Even in the face of calamity, lies the opportunity to begin anew.

Curiosity is only a few steps from fear. Is knowing or not knowing better, when it comes to critical secrets about someone's life? I want to know everything about my friends, but there's this lingering fear I have that they could be hiding something major from me. I'm done having secrets, and I want them to feel the same way.

This brings me to Shūjo Higashikata.

Our JoJo, Hiyoko's rescuer and ever-present companion. He has an intimidating presence, having mid-length reddish-brown hair and a bit of a deadpan tone. He's always wearing a green jacket, and always has an oar-shaped stick in his mouth. He's got the gruff look down, and he's got the personality to back it up.

But there's this other side to him, the side that rescued Hiyoko from certain doom when they were kids, that sticks by her every second when she's in the hospital. He's admitted to me that he made some mistakes in the past, but that he's sorted out his life now.

For two months, I believed him. And I still do. But Jugo's comments yesterday have me concerned. If he's keeping his past secret, he has to have his reasons. But...I keep looking at my scars. I was so ashamed of them, but now I can accept them as being part of me. If there's something JoJo's hiding, I want to believe that talking about it would help him come to terms with it, whatever it might be.

I'll be finding out soon enough.

JoJo asked me to meet him at the docks, the same ones where he met Hiyoko. He comes around there a lot, just staring out into the sea. Today, he's standing by a mid-sized boat, with the words "The Star Platinum" scrawled across the side. "She's a looker, huh? My fam's letting me use it for the day." His family owns this boat? Where on Earth would they get the funds for something like this? Just what does his family do?

Then I realize what he's implying. He's taking me out on this boat. Jugo's words start playing in my head again, and the doubts creep in. Someone with a criminal past, taking me out on the water. My stomach starts knotting up.

No. I'm acting judgemental. JoJo wouldn't do anything so horrible. This kind of doubt was something the old me would've indulged in. Not real me. Real me trusts her friends. I get on the boat.

We go out into the sea, not far enough to where the dock vanishes, but a good distance away. "It's a good thinking spot. Just you and the boundless sea. I like coming out here just to decompress." I ask him if he's ever brought anyone else out here. "Well...I've taken Hiyoko out here a few times. The salty air's good for calming her nerves." I tell him that this place must be special to the both of them. He just nods.

I can't contain myself anymore. Something's been on my mind ever since my day with Hiyoko, something I've suspected for a while.

I ask him why he hasn't acted on his feelings for her. "Whoa whoa whoa, hold on a sec! Where's this coming from?!" he says with a bit of nervousness. I tell him that it's clear as day, that their bond is obvious. "...tch. You don't know what you're talking about. Even if you were right, I still wouldn't act on it. A girl like her shouldn't be that close to a guy like me."

That tears it. Jugo's words echo again. So, I ask JoJo what he means by "a guy like him." He doesn't say anything. I tell him that if he's being truthful, that he's remorseful about his criminal past, then there wouldn't be any problems. If he was being completely upfront.

He groans. "Tch. Just can't leave it be, can you? Guess that's the author gift, just reading me like that. Alright. You want upfront? I'll give you upfront.

He removes his jacket and shirt, revealing his snake tattoo. "This right here? This wasn't just a kid's mistake. This right here is a mark, a brand. A reminder of what I'm trying to escape. All the guys in my family have it. And it's why I can never tell Hiyoko how I feel." I see what he's saying. Before he elaborates, I already know.

"I'm yakuza. I'd say 'was', but this tattoo means that "was" won't apply unless I'm dead."

He sighs. "Two years ago, my family left the clan and moved here to Naruki City. Given how the yakuza make a habit out of making enemies, I have to keep everything covered and on the down low." I tell him that I'm confused, that he said they moved here two years ago, but he was eight when he met Hiyoko. "That was on a family 'business trip'. We took Hiyoko back with us, but she was getting so sick that the clan thought she'd be a liability. So we fled. I don't know if we're being followed, by the clan or someone they pissed off. All I know is that I'm gonna be spending the rest of my days sleeping with one eye open."

"And you know what else? You're absolutely right. I do love Hiyoko, more than anything. And that's why I can't act on it. Because if someone is following me, and they went after her because she's close to me, I'd never forgive myself. She has enough to worry about. She wants to live a quiet life surrounded by kids. A monster like me can't give her that life. Not when I'm gonna be spending it looking over my shoulder."

"I've done shit you wouldn't even believe. A girl like her doesn't need to heap my baggage on top of hers. If I have to keep everything bottled up to make sure she's happy, then fine. So be it. She's suffered enough. I won't add to it."

This is breaking my heart. I can't let him just think this way. I tell him that Hiyoko clearly feels the same way he does. That if she's lived alongside him this long, she knows the risks. She wants to live that happy, kid-heavy life with him. He didn't want her to suffer, but I could see that his not being honest with her was hurting her. I knew that was the last thing he wanted.

He was silent for a minute. "I...can't. I can't put her in danger. But I can't let her be sad because of me, either. I don't know what to do..." I tell him to think it over, on his own. Spend some extra time out on the water, if he had to. "OK. I'll think it through. Hope you don't think I'm a creep for this." I tell him that I admired that he cared so much for Hiyoko he was willing to sacrifice his own happiness for hers. That just because he did awful things beford, didn't make him an awful person. I tell him that he and Tan should have a few words. I want him and Hiyoko to both be happy. I don't want them to suffer over something like this.

He chuckles. He gives me his thanks, and says he'll think about our talk. We head back to shore.

I'm glad JoJo told me the truth. I hope he can bring himself to tell Hiyoko how he feels. It would do her good to know that he cares so deeply that he'd hold back to ensure her safety. It must weigh on his mind, letting a dark past influence any chance at a bright future.

The outlaw with a heart of gold. I'm happy that he's on my side. Hopefully he can find some peace, and not have to fear for his or Hiyoko's safety.

The things we do for love.

Rin

\---

OCTOBER 19

Chapter 6: The High Priestess

The High Priestess, also known simoly as the Priestess or Papess, represents deep knowledge, wisdom, and patience. A quiet demeanor can often beget a profound knowledge about the world, and the pursuit of knowledge requires an immense amount of patience. All are necessary for keeping one's life in working order.

Where do I even begin with Rosemary?

Rosemary (or Rose) is one of the more mysterious people I've ever met. Her pale skin, platinum blonde hair and vast assortment of velvet clothing makes her almost seem like a sort of living doll. She says she comes from a place called 'The Velvet Room', and knows all about this cognitive world, about Shadows and Personas. She also works for this strange guy by the name of Farquhar, who she calls the Velvet Room's "interim head". I have about a million questions about all that alone.

As for what she's like...well, it's complicated. When we first met, she was how you'd imagine a robot to be like, very unemotional and matter-of-fact. She told me she was like an empty shell, and wanted to learn from me what emotions were. And boy, is she a fast learner. She's still fairly quiet and straightforward, but she's talking more like how you'd expect a teenager to talk. She's very eager to know how people behave, why we feel the way we do. All this makes me wonder...is she even human? If she isn't, then what is she?

Past that, there's a sweetness and eagerness to help that I can't get enough of. She's volunteered to help Mama with the shop, just so we won't feel so overly stressed until Tan gets home. She's Mama's little helper, and in a way I guess she's mine, too.

She told me she had to speak with Farquhar about how things were going, and said she'd meet me at the shop.

I went over, and waited for a little while. Rose showed after about an hour. "Apologies. Master Farquhar was rather insistent on learning as much as possible." I tell her it's fine. "So, tomorrow is the big day, right? I'm sure it couldn't get here fast enough. Having your family together after all this time must be exciting." I tell her that it is, and without thinking, I ask her if she misses her family.

She's silent. "I...don't have one. I was created and raised by Master Farquhar, but biologically speaking I don't have any relatives. I'm my Master's sole creation." I apologize for what I said, but I ask her about what she means by "created". I ask her what exactly's the deal with the Velvet Room.

"The Velvet Room is where we can observe the collective heart of humanity. Beings curious about humanity created it, and it's from there that we research both the real world, and the cognitive one. However..." She trailed off. "My Master is not the true owner of the Velver Room. The real owner is attending to matters elsewhere. This owner was curious about mankind, and thus he created assistants to help him, that were just as curious about people as he was."

"Master Farquhar wanted to emulate this. And so, through methods both arcane and scientific...I was born. I was given the gift of curiosity, yet I had no capacity for emotion, at least not at first. I was made to emulate the true attendants, with my skin complexion and general appearance. But, I'm but a pale imitation. My Master wanted me to be perfect, even bestowing upon me a Persona of my own. I just...don't feel worthy of what I've been given. What happens when the true owner returns, and Master must vacate the room? What purpose would I have? What...what would I even be...?"

"Simple. You are my perfect creation, and you can do whatever you please." We were both surprised. Up walks a sunglass-wearing man wearing a velvet-colored tropical shirt. "Master, what are you doing here?" "I was a bit curious about your report, so I came to see for myself. And I wanted you to know, you have nothing to fear. Do you know why I created you, Rosemary? Or rather, why I created you without any innate emotion?"

"I wanted an assistant who appreciated life as I do, to be sure. And in my opinion, that requires learning to appreciate even the most basic of concepts, such as emotion. So having to learn that firsthand, asking deep questions about the very nature of the heart, is a part of my plans. And from your report, one thing is very clear. You have a very deep love for this world, and the people in it. And so, if you don't know what awaits you, that is completely up to you. You have the gift of life, and I want you to use it how you see fit." "Master...I don't know what to say. Other than I'm glad you created me."

Mama walked outside. "Oh, hello there. Who's this you're talking to, girls?" "A pleasure, madame. My name is Farquhar. I'm Rosemary's father. I was in town on business and I wanted to check in on her. And to meet with the Rin I've heard so much about. Though she neglected to mention what a...lovely mother she had." Mama looked flustered. "Oh, don't try to flatter me. Not that I'll complain about it." "I figured as much. Given who your daughter is and the fact that I can feel her staring right through me." I told Casanova not to even try it. I think you'd appreciate that.

Mama went back inside. "Well, I believe it's time I take my leave. I will be in touch, Ringo. I'm curious as to where this tale will take you. And Rosemary...think about what it is you want. Take care, for now." He began to leave. "M-Master!" Rose ran to him and hugged him. "I won't disappoint you..." "Ahahaha. I wouldn't expect you to. You are my daughter, after all." He walked away.

Rose thought for a moment. "I...I've decided. Rin...ever since I met you, I've been swelling with emotions and feelings I've never experienced before. I've come to understand what it means to be happy, what it means to love..." She started turning red. She grabbed my hands. "Rin...please let me be your assistant! I want to stay alongside you forever. I've come to love this world, these people, our friends, because of you. I love this world...because you're in it." I'm rendered speechless by this. I ask Rose why me in particular.

She grabs one of my arms. "This, to me...this is what I find beautiful. That you would openly show this, despite the despair it represents. This is the beauty of the human spirit. To stare despair and death in the eye, and choosing to see the light and hope in the world instead. To choose to live. When I first met you, I could see nothing but despair and anger reflected in your eyes. But to see you open yourself up, to choose to smile in the presence of overwhelming darkness, is why I've come to admire you so. If I could replicate even a fraction of your beauty, I would be pleased. So please, let me stay with you."

I'm touched. Shocked. Speechless. Two months ago, this girl appeared in my life, devoid of emotion and wanting to learn. Now, she's a fountain of emotion, and asking if she can stay with me forever. I tell her that I'm flattered that she thinks so highly of me, but that I couldn't let her be my assistant, because I wanted us to be equal. Because she's come a long way, too, and possessed her own beauty. So I told her that I couldn't honor the assistant request, but that if she was asking if we could be friends forever, then she didn't even need to ask. Her face lit up. "Friends, and equals...yes, yes of course! If that's your desire, then I'll pour my heart and soul into it. I'll be the best friend I cam can possibly be for you. Thank you, Rin. I won't disappoint you."

She's beaming at this. When we first met, I didn't even think she knew what a smile was. But this was the kind of pure, innocent joy that I've come to love seeing from Rose. She wants to feel like a normal girl, and if I can help her with that, then that would be fantastic.

Rose is many things. Smart, wise, loyal, sweet, helpful. And inside and out, so beautiful. I'm lucky to call her my friend.

Hopefully, I get to for a long time.

\---

So my "Getting to know you" week comes to a close, almost. I loved being able to spend this kind of time with my friends, to get to see the layers they have. And I love them all that much more now.

These past couple of months have been a whirlwind, and I wouldn't take any of it back. I know you'd be happy with where I'm at now, Papa. Even with everything that's happened, I can stay the course and stay positive. I'm still me. I'm still the happiest girl on the planet.

I'm still your little apple blossom.

I miss you so much, Papa. I hope you're proud of me, wherever you are. I don't know what I'm going to do with this letter now, but I'll think of something. I'm going tonight with all of my friends to the movies, and then tomorrow, we finally bring Tan home. Our family can be together again. Just now, with six crazy, wonderful additions.

Love you, now, forever and always.

Rin


	7. "Lessons On Violent Ecstasy"

OCTOBER 19, 2019

NARUKI CITY, DOWNTOWN

"So uh...what's this movie about again?"

It was the middle of the afternoon. Rin was spending the last few hours of the day with her friends at the movies. It was the last day before her brother was due to be released from jail, and having spent the week getting to know her friends better, decided to end it off with one more get-together before the big day.

"Well, it's about a boy who can see spirits, and he gets all these powers from a death god he meets." Jin said. "Still not 100% sold on the concept." Shūjo added cheekily.

The group went inside, ordered their food, and sat in their seats. "I'll be right back, gotta take a leak." Jin said. "Thanks for the info." Shūjo joked. "Would you prefer if I said I was gonna go take a gigantic dump, JoJo?" "I don't see why not. Nothing wrong with taking a healthy shit every day." "Please stop talking about your waste while I'm eating." Hiyoko griped. Jin walked off.

Soon the previews began. Then the movie was about to start.

Twenty minutes had passed. Jin still hadn't returned.

"The hell? He's still not back yet?" Tenko pondered. "Maybe it got stuck." Shūjo said straightfaced. "I just lost my appetite." Hiyoko muttered. "I don't like this...I'm gonna go look for him." Tenko said. "I'll go with you." Rin said. "As will I." Rose added. "I'm telling ya, he got something stuck." Shūjo said. Hiyoko just sighed.

The girls went out to the lobby. They began asking around. No one had seen Jin. "No dice." Rin said. "No luck for me, either." Rose added. Tenko was trying her phone. "He's not answering...it's not going to voicemail so I know his phone's on. I'm starting to freak out here..." she said nervously. "Didn't he say he was going to the bathroom? Shouldn't we check in there?" Rose asked. "Yeah, slight problem with that..." Rin responded. "You mean because we're all girls? That is not a problem." Rose promptly barged into the men's bathroom, to the other girls' shock. "Jeez, no hesitation at all?!" Rin said.

A minute later, Rose emerged. She was holding a black baseball cap.

"That's--!" Tenko uttered. "I found it on the ground. Other than that, there's no sign of Jin..." "He...he wouldn't just leave that behind. Hell, there's no reason for him to have taken it off..." Tenko was starting to shake. "OK, stay calm, Tenko. Let's go look outside, maybe he had to make a call." Rin suggested. "Y-yeah, OK." Tenko said nervously.

The girls began looking outside. Still no sign of Jin. Soon the rest of the group were outside. "Hey, what's going on? Still no sign of him?" Jugo asked. "We found his hat in the bathroom, but nothing else. He's not out here, either. I don't know where he could've gone..." Rin pondered. "Christ. Where the hell is he?" Shūjo wondered.

"Let me try calling him." Rin said. The phone rang once, then again. Then, it was picked up. "Jin, thank God. Where are y--"

"Sorry, Rinnie. Jin can't come to the phone right now. He's occupied at the moment. Would you like to leave him a message? Not that he could answer you back right now. He's a bit...tongue-tied."

Rin's eyes widened. She had heard this voice before. In Mishima's Palace. It was the voice of the Reaper. The one who had murdered her brother.

"If you really wanna talk to him, you could swing by the school auditorium and tell him yourself. I'd hurry up if I was you. And bring your friends along. The more the merrier."

The call ended. A stunned Rin dropped her phone. "Was that Jin? What happened?" Tenko asked. "We've gotta go, now. That was...that was the lunatic in the red cloak. I'd recognize that voice anywhere. He says Jin's at the school auditorium..." "The Reaper guy? Seriously?!" Shūjo griped. "But the school's almost a half hour away. Jin's been gone about that much time...how could he move him to the school so quick without anyone seeing?" Hiyoko asked. "Who cares?! That bastard has Jin! We've gotta get there right now!" Tenko yelled. "Who knows what he might be doing to him...is there any faster way back?" Jugo asked. "If we can find somewhere private, I could focus in on his coordinates and take us there via portal." Rose said. "Alright, we'll do it in that alleyway. Let's get a move on." Rin added. "Oh God...oh God..." Tenko panicked. The group went into the alleyway, and opened the portal.

The group arrived in front of the auditorium. "Dammit. Still outside. Welp, nothing for it..." Shūjo motioned to kick down the door. "Don't be a barbarian! Let's just..." Rose simply opened the door. "...open it like a normal person." "Hang on a sec, though...aren't the doors supposed to be locked outside normal school hours?" Shūjo asked. "Yeah. Yeah they are." Rin said.

They entered the building. Ominous opera music was playing over the intercom. A pit was forming in Rin's stomach. This dread...it's just like that night... she thought. She had felt this way once before. That fear that comes with knowing that what lies beyond the corner may very well be horrifying. Please...don't let it be the same...

They entered the auditorium proper. The music had grown louder. The lights were dim, save for the stage, where spotlights shined down upon the source of the music: a phone, propped up on top of a wooden stool. The group looked out, and noticed something else.

Someone was sitting in the front row.

The group ran over to them.

Rin's already-sunken heart sank even further.

It was Jin. His arms were tied to the arms of the chair. His head was slumped over. Blood was dripping onto his shirt. "J...Jin..." uttered a shellshocked Tenko. "No...is...is he..." Jugo said. Rin went to feel for a pulse. Then...

They heard a gargling noise.

Jin rose his head up. He had a bruise around his left eye. Even more prominently: his neck was red with blood, coming from a long cut across it. "Holy shit...!" Shūjo exclaimed. The look on Jin's face was part-horror, part-shock. All he could muster were gurgles.

Then, a voice rang out. "'Sup, nerds?" At the same time, what looked to be a blue light emerged from Jin's wound. "Sorry about the mess. I'm on a bit of a tight schedule today so I only had time to give our old pal Jin a nifty implant. I'd have sown it back up but, y'know. Priorities. Now, don't get too hasty with untying him. Make any move I don't like, and I'll make him into a fountain." "That voice...!" said Rin. "You bastard...what did you do?!" Tenko yelled.

"Hey hey hey, language, young lady. This is a school environment, after all. Mr. Disciplinarian might be tempted to report that." "Like hell I would." Jugo sniped. "Well, then. Sheesh, you try to be a good citizen and all you get is lip. What a shame." "A murderous scoundrel like you has no right to call himself a 'good citizen.'" Rose fired back. "Awww, and here I thought I'd done you guys a solid, letting you come see your pal and his nice new neck smile. Last time I do anyone any favors."

"But where was I? Oh, right. This sad, half-dead lump. Consider this my weekly reminder that I haven't gone anywhere. Y'all had your fun. This is just in case you forgot about the reality you're in. And that I'm always watching." "Why don't you come out and face us, you pussy?!" Shūjo demanded." "I am what I eat." "You think this is a joke? Why would you even do something like this?!" Rin demanded. "What else? For love." "Love...?" Rose mumbled.

"That's a nice shade of red you've got on your nails, Rinnie. Matches your shirt. Checkers, I like it. Did you just buy that shirt?" "What the...? How do you...?" "I'm watching you, Rinnie. I watch every move you make. I know everything about you, Rinnie. I've been watching you even before I decided to give your bro his spanking. I'd already been planning on trying to get your attention. But Ishimaru's offer finally gave me an outlet. I would've done it for free, but who'd turn down that guy's money?" "Why...why me...and why hurt Jin?" "These pals of yours are cramping what we've got going on, Rinnie. I'd wanted our game to be private, but if these nerds insist on sticking their nose in other people's shit, then they're gonna get a whiff of some steaming hot pain. This is my love letter, Rinnie. I love you just so damn much that I'd carve this guy's vocal cords up, for your sake. You've got it all...the brains, the attitude, and you're smokin' hot to boot. Even with those scars. So I decided, wouldn't it be great if she didn't feel like those scars made her weird? So now you and ol' Jin have that in common! Scar buddies for life, ain't that right?"

Rin was sick to her stomach. "You...you hurt him so...I wouldn't feel weird...?" "Don't blame yourself, Rinnie. It was that scumbag brother of yours that made you that way. You're welcome, by the way." "What kinda fucked up logic is that?! Where do you even come up with something that fucking insane?!" Tenko yelled. "Hehehehehehe. What can I say? Love makes us do crazy things. You'd do best to remember that, puppet girl. Maybe put that in your report." Rose said nothing.

"Alright, that's enough from me. But believe me, I'll be watching. And I'll give you another gift the next time, Rinnie. I won't let you forget me. Y'all tread carefully. And uh, Jin? Might wanna get that neck looked at. Don't wanna get an infection or anything like that. Smell ya later!" The light shut off.

Then, panic ensued. "CALL FOR HELP, RIGHT NOW!" Rin yelled out. "On it, on it..." Hiyoko began dialing the phone. "Don't move him, wait til the meds get here. We might mess him up worse!" Shūjo yelled. Tenko grabbed Jin's hand, tears pouring down her face. "It's gonna be OK, Jin, just don't...don't panic, it's gonna be OK..." Almost as if she was speaking to herself as much as Jin.

Rin could only watch. Did...did I do this?

\---

NARUKI GENERAL HOSPITAL

Complete silence from the waiting room. Minutes felt like hours, hours like days. Tenko was in a daze. Hiyoko handed her a cup of water. "Keep yourself hydrated, hon. Don't need to make this worse than it is."

Hana walked into the room. "There you are, Rin-chan." Rin embraced her mother. "It's alright, dear, it's alright. None of you kids are hurt, right?" "Depends on what way you mean, ma'am." said Jugo. "It's so bad, Mama...there was so much...so much blood..." Rin wept. "Oh, God. It must've been horrifying. Did you say that...this was the same person that killed Tohru?" Rin nodded. "It is. He's obsessed with me, Mama. It's because...it's because I have these scars, he said he hurt Jin so I wouldn't be lonely...if I didn't do this to myself, then Jin wouldn't be..."

"I'm so sorry, everyone...you shouldn't be around me, anymore. I can't put you all in danger like that. I can't let my mistakes hurt you like this..." Suddenly, Tenko rose from her seat. She approached Rin, and proceeded to forcefully back her up against the wall. "...I would've decked you just now, but your mom's here, so I won't. I'm only gonna say this once, because I just don't have the energy anymore. This isn't your fault. Did you tie Jin to that chair? Did you carve his throat open? Did you stick that damn machine in his throat? No? Then you did nothing wrong. This was a maniac doing what a maniac does. In case we haven't made it clear, nobody here blames you for any of this. We aren't going to just walk away and leave you alone for that bastard. Not now. Especially not now. If I weren't staying here for him, I'd be out there hunting that piece of shit down like the rabid animal he is. And I'd end him with my bare hands, see how he likes it. We knew the danger coming into this, Rin-Rin. And we're not just gonna turn on you like that."

Tenko was visibly shaking. "I'm scared. I feel so powerless. I promised Jin that I'd protect him forever, and look what's happening now. I get to call his mom and tell her that he might be permanently damaged. I'm completely losing it...and I still mean it when I say that I still have your back, 200 percent. So I don't want to hear anymore of the blame game, okay? I just want my friend to be the optimistic hand on my shoulder, because God knows I need one right now." Rin paused. "...you're right. I'm sorry, Tenko. We'll get through this together, whatever happens."

The doctor walked in. Tenko ran over. "How is he?" "Well...we got the implant out of his throat. We managed to stitch everything back together as best we could. However..." "However?" "The person that did this knew exactly what they were doing. The damage to his vocal cords was extensive. In my professional opinion...it's highly likely that he may never speak again."

The group deflated. "I'm so sorry, dear..." Hana said. "...I need to see him. Now." "As soon as he's settled in his room, we'll let you in." "Not a second later."

"Shit. SHIT! This is the pits..." Shūjo uttered. "He'll seriously never talk again...?" Hiyoko added. "...it doesn't matter." Tenko piped up. "He's alive. Whether he can talk or not, he's alive. It...it doesn't make a difference. It doesn't..." Tenko started shaking again. Rin went to embrace her. "It's OK, Tenko. It's OK. He's gonna get through this. But he needs you big time. You've gotta keep it together, for him. And you've gotta be there when he wakes up. Alright?" Tenko took a deep breath. "Yeah...OK. Thanks, Rin-Rin. I'm gonna...gonna go call his mom..."

"So it goes without saying, but I'm assuming we'll be spending the night?" Jugo asked. "Seems that way. That maniac might show up to finish the job if he felt like it. Having all of us here might keep him away." Hiyoko said. "What about you, Rin? You still have the matter of your brother's release tomorrow, right?"

Rin paused. Tan's release was tomorrow morning. In all the madness, she'd completely forgotten. "I...I don't know." "It's alright, dear. I can just pick you up in the morning. You can stay with your friends." Hana said. "OK. But please, Mama...could you stay the night, too? I don't want to leave you alone knowing that monster's out there..." "Well, alright then. I didn't feel good leaving you kids by yourselves, anyway." "Ma'am, if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to accompany you both tomorrow. My presence might help in keeping the murderer away." Jugo said. "Sounds like a plan. Thanks, Jugo."

A nurse walked in. "You all are here for Mr. Mirai, right? He's in his room now. At this point we can only have two of you in there." "OK. Thank you. I'll go get Tenko." Rin walked off.

The girls went to where Jin was. He was lying asleep, bandages wrapped around his neck, with an oxygen machine over his mouth. "Oh, God..." uttered an increasingly emotional Tenko. "It's alright, it's alright, they said his breathing should be stable, it's just as a precaution..." Rin reassured. "How'd his mom take it?" "Oh, God, she was a mess. She, uh...she's heading down here tonight, should get here some time tomorrow..." Tenko could barely contain her tears. Rin continued to comfort her. "How am I gonna break it to him? How do you tell someone 'oh by the way, you're never gonna talk again'?" "I don't know. But it has to be you. You're his rock. He needs you now, big time. He can't see you losing it, or he's not gonna respond well. This is impossible, I know, but just take some deep breaths. OK? Deep breaths." Rin calmed her down.

Tenko sat next to the bed. She just stared at Jin, sorrow in her eyes. "Have to try to get her mind in a good spot...maybe a happy memory could do the trick..." Rin thought. "I don't think you ever told me how you guys met." she said. "You told me about that school trip, but you guys knew each other before, right?" Tenko put up a slight smile. "Yeah. We'd known each other about a year before then."

"I'm out walking my dog one day. It's a little remote where I live, a few miles from the next major city. I'm out walking my dog, and there's this tree close to the road. And there's this kid sitting under the tree, plugging away at his DS. It's not the middle of nowhere, but it's still a weird spot for someone to just be playing their game. So I walk up to him, I say hi, and he just glances over with his trademark 'hey'. I ask him what he's doing out there, and he says that it's too noisy in the city, and he likes being by himself out there where no one can tell him he's been playing too long. Then I look over and I see that my dog's started going Number One on the tree! Kid freaks out and gets away from it, and I just start laughing. He just grumbles, but I managed to get a little laugh out of him. I ask him if he wants to walk with me down to the little corner store about a mile down the road. He just gives his usual 'uh huh'. Tells me his name is Jinichi, but everyone calls him Jin. Doesn't really say all that much after that. Well, anything that isn't a one or two word response. So we walk down to the store, and I tell him he can go if he wants. He says he's gonna make sure I get home safe, that his old man wouldn't be happy if he knew he'd left a girl alone on a deserted road. So we walk back to my house, and he tells me that he's moving schools next year. He doesn't have a lot of friends in his town, so his mom thought a new place would be good for him. He tells me the school, and it's the same one I go to! I tell him I'm not gonna leave him alone when the school year starts, and that I'll make sure he has tons of friends when he comes over. He smiles and says he'd like that, and that his mom would be happy to know that he'd already have a friend waiting. And then we said our goodbyes, and I didn't see him again until the school year started. And, well...the rest is history after that."

Rin was smiling at this. Tenko was too. "Y'know...whether he was eight years old, ten or sixteen, unless he really liked you you weren't gonna get more than a one or two word answer from him. I always tried to get him to be more open, but now...now I'd give anything just to have one or two words from him..."

Jin stirred awake. He groggily looked around. "Hey, Jin..." Tenko said. "Hey, big guy." Rin added. Jin looked around. He noticed the breathing machine, and went to grab his neck. "No no no, don't...it's still gonna be sensitive after the surgery. Just take it--" Rin began. Jin took the mask off. He tried to speak, but only low, muffled noises came out. He groggily grabbed his phone off the counter next to him. He typed out a message.

"What happened?"

Rin and Tenko looked at each other. "They stitched you back up, Jin. They got the implant out of you. But...it's gonna take a long time to heal." Rin said. Jin typed out another message.

"Why can't I talk? When does my voice come back?"

The girls looked at each other. They didn't say anything. Jin looked around at both, expecting an answer. He stared at Tenko. She somberly shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jin...it's not looking good. He got you really bad..." He resumed typing.

"Are you telling me I can't talk???"

The girls didn't say anything. Jin's face was a mix of anger and despair. He typed out another message.

"So when do we go after him?"

"No. No Jin, I'm not taking you back out there, not after--" Rin began, but Jin made a "cut it out" motion. He typed again.

"I'm going. He's made it personal. End of story."

Tenko grabbed his hand. "Just take it easy. We need you to start getting better. Your mom and MiMi are gonna be here tomorrow. And I'll be here 24/7 until you can leave. We'll get through this, I promise. Don't think about anything except getting better, OK?" Jin somberly, slowly nodded his head. "I love you, big guy." Jin tried saying something back, but couldn't. He grumbled, and with a feeling of resignation, put his head back on the pillow.

"I'll give you two a few minutes. I'll go let them know they can send someone else. Rest up, big guy. I'll be back later." Rin said. "Thanks, Rin-Rin." Tenko said. Rin walked out.

She walked back to the waiting room. "How is he? How'd he take it?" Hiyoko asked. "Well...I dunno how you'd be able to take this kind of thing well..." Rin answered. "Oof. Poor bastard. Can't imagine what must be going through his head right now." Shūjo added. "If one of you wants to go in, you can." Rin said. "I'll go. She needs the company now." said Hiyoko. She walked off.

Rose sat next to Rin. "Can I ask you something?" she said. "Um, sure." "Something's been on my mind, something that the Reaper said. He said his actions are motivated by love, but...everything that I've come to understand about love has colored it as a positive emotion. So why..." "It isn't love, Rose. Not in the way you and I think of it. This is what a lunatic thinks love is. You don't hurt someone's friends and family and call it love. This isn't..." Rin trailed off, and started to sob. "I...I know Tenko says not to blame myself. But it's impossible not to. What did I do...? I keep cycling through my mind what I could've done to cause all this. What did I do to make this monster...?" Rose grabbed her hand. "You did nothing wrong. You said it yourself, this is a monster wearing a human face. People have a choice as to how to act, and this person has chosen to perform evil acts and call it love. There is no blame on your part. This could have been anyone. It's unfortunate that it was you, but it's unfortunate now for him too." "Huh? What do you mean?"

"She means he's fucked with the wrong people." Shūjo interjected. "Guy doesn't seem to realize that every stunt like this he pulls just makes us want to kick his ass that much more. This is 500% on him. Not you, him. He made the decision to kill, and we're gonna make sure he faces the consequences."

Rin smirked. "You're right. I can't keep punishing myself over something I can't control. What I can control is how I react. Thanks, guys. You all know exactly what I need to hear."

"OK. I think we should all get some shuteye soon. It's been a long, long day. And tomorrow's gonna be a hectic one, too. A night's sleep should help." Rin said.

Hospital staff notified the group of a motel close by they could stay in. Shūjo volunteered to stay behind to look after Tenko and Jin. They left for the motel.

They booked adjacent rooms, Jugo staying alone, Rose staying with Hiyoko and Rin staying with her mother. As she prepped for bed, Rin stared thoughtfully out the window. "Well, the big day's almost here, sweets. I know there's a lot going through your head right now. Hopefully tomorrow can help ease your mind a bit. I'm not saying you shouldn't worry for your friend. But he's well taken care of. It's all out of our hands for now. Once everything's in order tomorrow, we can go see him. I know this is horrible timing, but..." "I know, Mama, I know. I can't wait to see Tan outside those prison walls. But...I just can't get that image out of my head of Jin. Tenko...she told him that she loved him. And he tried to say it back, and he couldn't. And he'll probably never be able to. And I can see how much that hurt, and it rips my heart in two..."

"You know...your father almost never told me he loved me. I knew he did, from the way he acted. But his family just wasn't very affectionate. That's just how he was. He didn't need to tell me, I already knew. I think Tenko knows how he feels, better than anyone else. I'm not saying it won't hurt, not being able to say it. But if he really feels that way, he'll find ways to let her know without words. From what you've told me, he put his own health at risk so that she wouldn't have to worry about him. If that isn't love, I don't know what is. That to me is real love. He'll find a way. I just know it." Hana said.

Rin nodded. "You're right, Mama. They'll find a way. It'll be OK in the end..."

With one more good night to her mother, Rin drifted off to sleep. "Love finds a way. Through darkness and hate, love finds a way. Tomorrow can be a new beginning, for everyone. And I'll do what I can for everyone. Because love wins in the end."

"Life, and love, will win in the end."

\---

OCTOBER 20, 2019

OUTSIDE KARAKURA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

"Yeesh, what's taking so long?" Rin stood with her mother outside of the prison her brother had spent the last three years in. "Well, they probably still have to process him, or something like that. Everything comes with extra hoops to jump through." her mother replied. Nearby, Jugo kept watch.

The door opened. Out stepped a young man with long, dark hair and a goatee, with tribal tattoos on his arms. "GOD, WHY'S IT SO BRIGHT OUT?! I TURN INTO A VAMPIRE IN THERE OR SOMETHING?!" he said in a booming voice. "Oh, wait a sec, I see why! There's two balls of sunshine standing right in front of me!" "Guilty as charged, you sly fox~!" exclaimed Hana. Tan ran over and embraced her. "Ooooh, I missed you so much, you big dummy..." she said. "I know, Mama, I know. Not doing any crap like that ever again." He looked over at Rin, who stared unblinking at him. He returned the glance. Jugo looked over, confused. After a minute, Tan blinked. "OH GOD DAMMIT!" he griped, as Rin giggled. "Give it another ten years, ya old coot!" she chimed. They embraced.

"Huh, what's this? Not a bit of dark clothes on ya?" "Nope. I had a phase, and I'm over it. Happy Apple Blossom Girl is here for the foreseeable future." "Oh, thank GOD. The mopey look just doesn't suit ya, kiddo. Even with those scars, you're still the Apple-chan I remember." "Aww, quit it. You're gonna make me blush."

"And what's with Private Stars and Stripes over there?" Tan asked, pointing to Jugo. "Oh, that's my friend Jugo. He volunteered to look after us to make sure nothing happened." Rin explained. "Why's that? This ain't that dangerous of a neighborhood." Rin and her mother looked at each other. "We've gotta get you up to speed." Rin said.

A short while later, the group were driving back. "Holy shit...the guy that got Tohru's back? And he's hounding you now?" Tan asked. "That's right. He says that he's been watching me even before he killed Tohru. He thinks by hurting people that he's somehow helping me. It's sick." "That isn't all, though." Jugo began. "Yesterday, a friend of ours was kidnapped and assaulted by this guy. Cut his throat open and stuck a microphone inside so he could mock us." "Damn...your bud okay?" "He's...in the hospital right now. They closed the wound up but...the doctors say in all likelihood he'll never speak again." Rin explained. "Damn, no shit. That sucks, big time." "I felt guilty about leaving my friends today. I know he's in good hands right now, but..." "Don't even sweat it. If you wanna be there with 'em, I don't have a problem with it. We'll have all the time in the world to catch up." "Are you sure?" "Totally. Sucks that the timing's as bad as it is, but it's not like I'm going back in a cell anytime soon." Hana glanced at him. "Pinkie swear." he said.

"Well, if you really don't mind...you could drop me and Jugo off at the hospital. I'll stop by on the way back to the dorms." Rin said. "OK, sweets. I'm sure they'll be happy to see you. And I have some...business matters to talk to your brother about." Hana said. "Oh boy. Should I be afraid?" Tan asked.

A while later, they dropped Rin and Jugo off at the hospital. "Sure you're gonna be OK?" Rin asked. "Totally, sis. That little red shitface tries anything, he's getting my foot up his ass. Don't even worry about it. I'll catch ya later." They drove off. "He's certainly a...colorful character." Jugo said. "Oh, if you knew even the half of it..." Rin said. They walked inside.

They went into the waiting room. "Hey guys. How's Jin doing?" Rin asked. "Well, not as bad as yesterday, though that's probably not saying much." Shūjo replied. "Tenko's in there with him right now if you wanna go see him." Hiyoko said. "Alright. Probably hasn't left the room all day." Rin left.

She walked into Jin's room. "Hey, big guy. How are we today?" "Rin-Rin! I thought you were gonna be with your bro all day?" Tenko asked. "I'm going by my house later, I just couldn't get that image of Jin lying here out of my head. Ya wanna go grab something to eat? You look tore up." "I'm fine, really. Not tired at all." "Tenko, the bags under your eyes have bags. Go take a breather, I can look after him for a bit." "Well...OK. Guess it couldn't hurt. I'll be back in a bit, alright?" Jin nodded his head. Tenko slowly walked out.

Rin noticed that there were several plush toys on the table next to Jin's bed. Jin himself had what looked like a small brown fox--the Pokemon Eevee. "And where did all these come from?" Jin typed on his phone. Rin got the message.

"Mom and little sis brought them. Couldn't stay long cuz of work and school. Not a pretty scene."

He had a downtrodden look on his face. He typed again.

"Guess this'll teach me to use the bathroom during a movie, huh?"

Rin gave a half-smirk. "I'm so sorry, Jin. I just can't stop thinking that it's my fault, if I hadn't..." Jin rapidly typed out a message.

"Not on you. Reaper dude's the bad guy. Not you."

Rin sighed. "It's just so easy to think otherwise. I can't get that image out of my mind from yesterday. You trying so hard to tell Tenko how you felt, and not being able to. I hate that this animal's taken that away from you." Jin typed again.

"It'll be ok. She knows."

Rin nodded. "Yeah, I know. My mom said the same thing. You just have to find other ways to let her know. It's gonna work itself out, big guy. I know there's nothing good about any of this, but we can make this right. I promise you." Jin smiled. He put his arms up, and motioned for Rin to come over. She walked over and gave him a hug.

Rin looked over at the plushies. She grabbed one that looked like a light blue fox. "What's this one, then?" Jin typed. "That one's Glaceon. One of Eevee's evos. It's my #1 favorite." "I like this one. You've gotta tell me about all these guys. You've got free reign to blow up my messages."

After a little while, Tenko returned. "Well, don't we look comfy." Rin was hugging several of the plushies. "Please help me they're so fluffy I think I might die." Rin said cutely. "Yep, that was how I reacted the first time too." Tenko replied.

Then, Rin's phone received a notification. "Alright, Jin, ya don't have to keep up the trivia." she said. Jin shook his head. She looked, and saw that there were a pair of messages. The number was listed as unavailable.

"Come outside. Alone."

"If you don't, I'll send the whole damn hospital straight to hell. Your call."

Rin froze. She knew exactly who this was, and knew he wasn't joking. She turned to Tenko. "Hm, what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost." "I...I've gotta go." She walked quickly out of the room. "Huh, Rin-Rin? What's going--"

Rin marched out of the hospital, walking past her confused friends. "Don't follow me. I've gotta take a call." she said without stopping. She went outside. Parked in front of the hospital was a single black van, with the windows tinted. Rin received another message.

"Get in."

She swallowed. She nervously stepped into the back seat. The inside was dark, with the front seats shielded from view. A voice emerged from the front.

"Well, you're good at following directions, at least."

Rin's heart dropped. There he was. The one who'd murdered her brother, and just maimed her friend. And she was trapped in his van.

"Sorry about the shadiness, Rinnie. Don't want to cause a scene or anything. I felt like it was time we had a little heart-to-heart. Couple things first: don't try calling the cops, or your buds, or I'll kill every last one. Don't bother trying any tracking moves, either. That phone number's disposable, and I'm blasting this van to bits as soon as we're done here. You have zero leverage here, so just sit tight. We've got plenty to go over."

"What do you want from me?" Rin asked. "How familiar are you with the Bible, Rinnie?" "Umm, what?" "*sigh* You're at least familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, right?"

"The original man and woman, promised a paradise and talked into losing it by being tempted to eat what exactly?" Rin was silent. She knew where he was going with this. "An apple." "Smart girl. Yeah, an apple containing knowledge of life and death. And they were banished from the garden to keep them from eating another apple that would give them eternal life. Mankind cursed to die, banished from paradise. Man's original sin, an apple." "So, what, you're telling me I'm the apple that's driving you to sin? That where you're going with this?" "Not even gonna wait for me to say it, huh? Not surprising. But you get the idea."

"Although, I wouldn't say you were driving me to sin. I'd put it as, you're something that other people covet. And I'm here to keep them away. This whole world's filled with filth and malice, things someone as pure and positive as you shouldn't be corrupted by. Which brings me to my next question: why are you trying to solve your brother's death?" Rin was taken aback. "Why would I...? What kind of idiot question is that?!" "I'm gonna be frank with you, Rinnie. I know he was your bro. But come on, he was a dick. He looked down on you even though you were always the smarter one, and to top it off he tried to overtake your mind. Why avenge someone like that?" "Why do you keep talking like you know me? Like you've been doing me favors?" "Cuz I do, and I have been."

A crunching noise came the front seat. "Sorry 'bout that. Grabbed myself a pear from a local joint. Not bad, to tell you the truth. I mean, nowhere near what Mama Hana's got in stock, of course. That shit's like magic in your mouth." Rin froze. "You...you've been to my mom's store..." "A few times, yeah. Never when you were there, though. And don't worry, I'm not going after sweet, sweet Mama or the Tan Man anytime soon. That's my last resort in case you reallypiss me off. Tan Man's lucky he ain't the royal dickhead Tohru was, but you never really know. Prison changes people, Rinnie. Not always for the better." "Shut up. My brother's a good man." "Oh, I believe it. Keeping an eye on Mr. JoJo, though. He tell you about the yakuza thing, yet? I don't blame him for keeping Ms. Sicky at arms' length, who knows when some loonie with a grudge might show up. You sure keep some questionable company, Rinnie."

"You've got no room to talk. You're a murdering psychopath." "That hurts, Rinnie. I'm only trying to help. Just saying, they're not the angels you think they are. JoJo's done some heinous shit you wouldn't believe. Jugo? You just know our dearly departed Mr. Mishima had him muscle up some 'rulebreakers'. And your bestie? She's got our old buddy Jin wrapped around her little finger. Probably gonna be even worse now that he's had his trap permanently shut. Not that I'm complaining, couldn't get two words out of the guy the whole time I was with him. Ms. Sicky's an ER visit waiting to happen. And then there's sweet, curious Puppet Girl. I can guarantee you she hasn't let on about what this little adventure's really leading up to. Your buds are only good for lies and drama. That really what someone like you needs?" "And what would be the alternative, someone like you?!"

"I know my friends aren't perfect, just like I know my brother wasn't perfect. But it's the imperfections that make them who they are, and I've come to love each and every one of them. Nothing they've done justifies what you're doing. Let me spell it out for you: you had no right to murder my brother. You had no right to murder Mishima when his heart was about to change. And you had no right to hurt Jin the way you did. Stop talking like you care about me, stop talking like you're my boyfriend or something. All you are to me is the monster that I have to stop. And I'm not gonna rest until you're rotting away in a cell where you belong. So cut the crap about helping me, because I'd never want help from a scumbag like you. Period."

Silence. Then, the sound of the front door opening. The side door opened, and there stood the Reaper, wearing a red hoodie, jeans, and wearing a ski mask. He put a knife to Rin's throat. "Listen well and listen good, bitch. Keep talking tough like that, and you're liable to see just how much of a monster I can be. Ya wanna know how I got Jin to the theater so quick?" He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, a door appeared behind him. "Like that. I can do things you and your band of morons could only dream of. Say one more smart remark and I can be at your house, cut your family open and come back before you could even blink. Keep pissing me off, and not being able to talk will be the least of your problems. I'm gonna let you keep up your pursuit of the truth. I'll be back for you when you get there, and I'll end every single one of your friends right in front of you. But not you. No, I'll put you in a way where you'll only wish I would kill you. You belong to me, Rinnie. The sooner you accept that, the better it's gonna be for everybody."

"Now...here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna disappear. I've got some...projects I'm working on, just to show you how helpful I can really be. As for you, you're gonna get out of the van. You walk, and you keep walking. Make any sudden movements, and I'll kill everyone in that hospital. You've got ten seconds." He pulled the knife away. "See ya 'round, dollface."

Rin got out of the van. She started walking back towards the hospital. Suddenly, an explosion rang out behind her. She looked back, and what was left of the van was engulfed in flames.

As she stared at the flames, the Reaper's words echoed in her mind. You belong to me, Rinnie. I can cut your family open and be back before you even blink. I'll put you in a way where you'll only wish I would kill you.

"Alright, you scumbag. You want me to get to the truth? I'll get to the truth. And then, when you show up...I'll make you regret everything. Rin-chan won't be intimidated. She'll stare you in the face, give you a big smile, and tell you you've lost."

"Game on, Reaper."


	8. "The Sun and the Stray Dog"

AN EXCERPT FROM THE WRITINGS OF RINGO KUBO

"The Martyr, and the Angel Who Loved Him"

'I have for you a tale of woe, a tale of peril, and ultimately, a tale of love.'

'It is a tale that follows what many of its kind do: a prince, and a princess. Both born into a world of strife, yet their upbringings could not have been more polar.'

'The prince was born into a world of luxury. But the wealth his clan had accrued was soaked in blood.'

'The princess had lived a life of destitution, a weak body further imperiled by false faith. Yet from this despair came a hope, that the sins performed against her would lead to hope for those like her.'

'It was the prince who had saved the princess from this perilous life, though his own bloodstained past would come to haunt him. Though he would abandon this lifestyle, the sins his clan had committed forever weighed on his mind. Those who would seek revenge could lie behind any doorway.'

'The prince loved the princess dearly, and she him. Her desire was a loving household, to care for those children who she saw so much of herself in. And she wanted him by her side.'

'But his love for her is what kept the prince at bay. For he could not put her in danger, as the threat of retribution was forever present. And so, he resolved to suffer alone. Even if it hurt himself, and her, he could never willingly endanger his beloved. A life of heartache would be worth it, so long as her heart was still beating.'

'But love will always find a way. The princess desired it thus.'

'This is the tale of her desire becoming truth.'

\---

OCTOBER 30, 2019

NARUKI CITY DOCKS

Ten o'clock in Naruki City. Still early in the work day. Still early in the school day. Crowds are sparse. Certainly the time of day where rising danger can go unnoticed.

It emerges from the docks. A single passenger departs from a cargo ship. He flips the workers a coin. He steps onto the docks.

He stands in a black-and-red suit and tie, a skull-and-crossbones belt buckle glistening in the sun. On the back of his suit reads a single phrase in kanji: "KING OF THE BEASTS", adorned with a pair of horns. He pulls a lollipop out of his pocket, unwraps it and puts it in his mouth. He smirks.

"Not a bad breeze. Good enough that I can smell ya from here."

"You've got nowhere else to hide...JoJooooo...!"

\---

NARUKI MARKET DISTRICT

EARLIER THAT MORNING

"How exactly did you set this up, JoJo?"

Rin was standing in front of a smaller store in the market district, not far from her mother's. The sign on the front had a logo featuring a pixelated egg wearing sunglasses, next to the words "Runaway Games". "Eh, I've got a good rapport with the owners. Married couple, good people. I called them up last night and asked if they'd be able to come before school started. I know this guy'd like to get it over with early, right?"

Jin nodded. He had a turtleneck underneath his school uniform, covering the scar on his neck. And he was holding a pair of bags. "Getting rid of old collectibles isn't easy, I know. Sure you're still good with this?" Shūjo asked. Jin nodded somberly. He made a money sign with his fingers. "Yeah. Medical bills ain't cheap. Even with the school footing most of them. Shit, that red asshole really knew where to hit to hurt you the most. Not even the minor shit's going untouched." Rin put her hand on Jin's shoulder. "Don't worry, big guy. That just means you've got more room for fluffy things, right?" Jin gave a half smirk.

Just then, an orange cat walked from around the corner. Rin noticed that it only had one eye. It cozied up to Shūjo, who picked it up. "Oh, hey Beguru. How ya doin', buddy? Your mom and dad finally let you out again?" Beguru then leapt out of Shūjo's arms and onto Rin's head, where he began playfully swatting at her ponytail. "Oh jeez, what's this weirdo doing--" Shūjo began. "Oh, hey there, buddy! Having fun up there? Like my hair, do you? It's almost the same color as your fur! Aren't you a cute fella!" Rin said cheerfully. She started scratching behind his ears. Shūjo and Jin stared. "Uh, never mind, then." Shūjo said.

The door opened, and an orange-haired woman in a blue hoodie stepped out. "Beguru, what're ya doing, you weirdo? Dontchu be messing with that girl's head like that!" "Oh, hey miss Sakura. I think Beguru likes her." Shūjo deadpanned. Jin nodded. The cat jumped off Rin's head. "*sigh*, what am I gonna do with you? Can't just be jumping on strangers' heads, even if their hair is totes adorbs!" "Uhhh, sorry about that, ma'am. I have this effect with cats..." Rin said. "From the looks of it, I think it's the other way around..." Shūjo chimed.

"Oi, what's this 'ma'am' business? Don't make me sound like some old granny!" the woman said. There was a cheerfulness in her voice, though there was also a relaxing quality to it. "Sorry, ma--er, sorry. Funny, that's something my mom would probably say..." "Well, your mom sounds like my kind of lass! Oh, hang on..." She looked intently at Rin. "You wouldn't happen to be Hana Kubo's little one, would you?" "Huh? You know my mom?" "So my eyes don't deceive me! I'd recognize that pretty hair color anywhere! I get all my produce from your mama's store. Guess that'd make you Rin-chan, right? I'm Sakura Yoko! I run this little game shop with my husband. And this loaf." She looked down, but Beguru had disappeared. Suddenly, he reappeared on top of Rin's head. "Weeeeelp. Guess you've got yourself a new hat. Well, guess we don't have time to dilly dally. Come on in." They entered the shop.

The walls of the shop were lined with all sorts of gaming memorabilia. Rin stared in amazement. "Told ya these guys were legit." Shūjo said. Behind the counter, was a man with messy blonde hair, glasses, a beanie cap, and a purple shirt with an upside-down letter L on it. "Just to let you know, I'm missing sleep for this, JoJo." he griped. "Haven't you heard of 'the early bird gets the worm', Jobin?" Shūjo retorted. "Haven't you heard of 'sleep is a good thing', JoJo?" Jobin said back. "Alright, girls, you're both beautiful in your own way. Don't we have business to take care of?" Sakura interjected. "Right, sorry, dear. You've got the goods, right?" Jobin asked. "That I do." Shūjo said, presenting both bags.

"Shit, can't believe he's turning this stuff in..." Jobin said, and looked over at Jin, who was somberly looking at some games on the shelf. "How's he been? Couldn't believe all that shit you mentioned over the phone." "Oh, God. Had to send some extra positive thoughts his way after I heard it." Sakura chimed. "He's...taking it day-by-day. We've tried keeping his spirits up, but it's a cruddy thing to come to terms with. This wasn't easy, either. Must be hard for a collector to part with something he takes pride in." Rin said. "Shit, I'll say. This is some high-quality--whoa!" Jobin took out one longer cartridge. "An original SNES copy of Final Fantasy IV?! Dude, you can't be serious." "No, he can't be. C'mon man, you can't get rid of this one. This one's your favorite!" Shūjo said. Jin put his head down. He made the money sign again. "Money's not the issue here, stuff like this doesn't grow on trees! Look, I'll do you a solid just this once. I'll throw a few extra in here for everything, but I can't take this one. Some things are just too important." "Thanks, man. That means a lot." Shūjo said. "I'll say. Something like this must be chock full of important memories, and those are priceless!" Sakura said.

Jobin handed over the money. "Well, if there's any good that can come from this, I'm sure a lot of these'll make someone very happy." Sakura said. "I hope you're right, Miss Sakura. Nothing's completely hopeless." Rin said. "Hm? Sorry, but haven't I seen you before?" Jobin asked. "Oh right. Babe, this is Hana Kubo's kid." "Oh, that explains it. It's Rin, right? I've stopped by your mom's shop a few times myself."

Rin paused for a moment. She thought back to what the Reaper had told her. How he'd been in her mom's shop before. No, no...it's clear by now that he's a student at the Academy. I'm just being paranoid. Can't just suspect every single man that's stepped foot in the shop..., she thought.

"Something wrong?" Jobin asked. "Oh, sorry. I get spaced out sometimes." Rin explained. "Hrmm. That's a writer thing if I've ever heard it. Oh right, your mom explained that about you. You're more or less 90% of what she talks about." "Hehehe, well, that's probably an exaggeration..." "Oh, don't get so bashful. It's cute that your Mama's so enthusiastic about her kid!" Sakura said. "Us two, we just talk about our cat." Jobin added. "And butts. Don't forget the butts." "Oh, right. I, uh, met your cat already." Rin said. "Oh, I bet you did."

Suddenly, the lights shut off. "Huh? What's going on?" Rin asked. "Oh for...BAGERU!" Jobin exclaimed. "He, uh, likes chewing on cables." Shūjo said. "Riiiiiiip." Sakura said. "Welp. Think that's all the time we've got. Let's go. See ya with the lights on, folks." said Shūjo. "Yeah, yeah. Go get your education on." Jobin deadpanned. "'Free cat to a good home'..." Sakura said, typing on her phone. "Hey, if you're serious maybe I could--" Rin began. "LET'S GO." Shūjo griped.

The trio went outside. "And that's that little adventure over." Shūjo said. "A real lovely pair. You just know that's gonna be you and Hiyoko in a couple years." Rin joked. Jin smirked. "Uggh. Still hung up on that, huh?" "I was only making an observation. It's been almost two weeks since our chat. Still not gonna say anything?" "I keep telling you, there's nothing to say. I'm not gonna endanger her like that, not more than we already are." "So you'd rather break her heart over a possibility, is that it?" "Better it be broken and still beating."

Jin rolled his eyes. "Oh what, now you're gonna get on my case, too? What's so criminal about wanting to keep her safe? I don't need to justify anything. And why the hell would you have a problem with it? What does it matter to you whether I tell her I love her or not?" Jin's expression turned to one of anger. He typed out a message, sent it, and then stormed away towards the school. Then, Shūjo's phone pinged. He looked at the message.

"BECAUSE I CAN'T ANYMORE."

Shūjo grumbled. "Well I hope you're happy now." Rin chimed. "Let's just go." he responded bluntly.

The two walked to the Academy. Near the entrance stood Yūji, with his employees Shinji and Kamiya. "Good morning, you two." Yūji said. "Hey, did something else happen with your buddy? He just came by here with steam coming out of his ears." Shinji said, adjusting his glasses. "Seriously, if there was any more steam coming out of him you'd be serving him at an unforgettable luncheon." Kamiya said. Shinji groaned. "How many people in this country do you think get that joke?" he said bluntly. "You did, and that's all I care about." Kamiya replied.

"Anywho, back to what was asked. Did something happen with Jin?" Yūji asked. "I'd ask my charming companion." Rin said. Shūjo grumbled. "Say no more, then." Yūji quipped. "I feel bad for the guy. It's like watching a sad clown." Shinji said. "I thought that's what I was?" Kamiya asked. "Well, let me clarify. Watching him's like watching a clown that can't tell jokes anymore. Watching you is like watching a clown that never could." "Ah, ok. That makes sense...HEY!" "Your agreement with it shall forever warm my heart."

After bidding the quibbling trio goodbye, Rin and Shūjo walked to their homeroom. "Morning, everyone~." she chimed. She looked over, and saw Jin sitting at his desk with his headphones on. He flashed Shūjo a dirty look, before averting his gaze. "Well, there's all we need to know." Tenko said. "Oh, c'mon, is my rep really that bad?!" Shūjo grumbled.

Hiyoko's phone pinged. "Um, JoJo...he says that it has to do with me? That we need to have a talk?" she said. "Gh...! Meddling little bastard...!" Shūjo growled. "Don't get upset with him, JoJo. I think it's high time we did have a talk. You've been evasive these last couple of weeks, I need to know why." Hiyoko said firmly. "Grrrr...alright, fine. Fine! Meet me here when lunch starts. We'll hash it out, and then certain somebodies can finally get off my case." Shūjo grumbled. Off to the side, Jin gave a devilish grin.

The school day passed, and lunch period came. Shūjo approached the homeroom. Sitting next to the door was Jin, again listening to his headphones. He looked over at Shūjo, and motioned for him to go inside. Shūjo sighed, and went in. Hiyoko was staring out the window. "You remember what today is, right JoJo?" she asked. "Of course I do. Six years to the day I found you on the docks. I'd never forget that." "I know you wouldn't. That day's more important to me than my birthday." She sighed. "My mother...she always talked about how a savior was coming. That some divine being would come, and fix everything that was ailing me. And in a way, she was right. A savior did come, but it wasn't an angel or some kind of deity. My savior was a scruffy ten-year old boy from a family of noble criminals. And I've spent every day of these six years together, trying to make that boy as happy as he's made me. My body still aches, I still have spells of wooziness. But it's alright, because there's always somebody there to help me through it."

She approached him. "I've spent the past six years living with former gangsters, dealing with my own body turning on me, and going on this 'adventure through people's hearts' with everyone. Six years of danger, but I've made it through OK. Because that scruffy ten-year old boy never left. I'm not in danger from being with you, JoJo. I'm safe from danger because of you."

Shūjo was silent. "I think I understand why Jin is so upset with you. Not just because he can't express his emotions, but because you've seen the danger of what we're doing, and refuse to. Something could happen at any moment, and if it did, whatever you were too afraid to say would haunt you forever. I've been with you all this time. And I want to stay that way, in whatever capacity. I know the danger that could come, and I don't care. I love you so, so much. I just want to hear that you feel the same way..."

Shūjo was speechless. "Hiyoko...I..."

The door opened. Jin came walking in slowly, with his arms raised. Behind him: the suited young man from the docks, with a gun pointed to Jin's head. "Boo." he uttered. "K-Kaido?!" exclaimed a shocked Shūjo.

\---

TWO YEARS EARLIER

"The hell do you mean, you're leaving?!" Kaido demanded. "I mean, I'm leaving. We're packing up and getting the hell out of here. Simple as that." Shūjo retorted. "Oh so you think that's the end of it, huh? That you can just piss off somewhere else and forget everything? You remember the deal our families made, right?" "Yeah, I do. And you can forget about it. This shit's gotten too risky, especially with Hiyoko's health."

Kaido snickered. "Oh, right. Hiyoko. Hiyoko Hiyoko Hiyoko Hiyoko. That's all it ever is with you, isn't it?! You're gonna ditch everything we've done for that sick girl you pulled off a boat! We burned a goddamned warehouse to the ground together, man! That was your idea, in case you forgot. Just gonna forget everything and leave, are you thick?!" "I can't forget, dumbass. This snake on my chest means I can't. You've been my boy for years, you need to get it through your head that it's not safe. And that's the end of it." Shūjo walked off.

Kaido clenched his fists. "Nah...nah, that ain't the end of it. I'm gonna find you one of these days, JoJo...and when I do, I'm collecting on our deal. Have fun looking over your shoulder forever, shithead..."

\---

PRESENT DAY

It seemed like any ordinary school day. Like any ordinary lunch period. Students chatting and bustling through the halls, enjoying the brief respite from their daily studies.

But, as has happened so often this semester, something happened that broke the peace.

One student, wearing a dark hood over his head to obscure his face, gave a smirk. He walked over to the room where the academy's intercom system was. Waiting for him was one Ginmaru Hibiki, president of the school's broadcast team and Kyohei Ishimaru's de facto right hand. "You're late." he said. "Sorry, dude. Had to go pick up a friend from the docks. Let's get this fun train rolling." the hooded student said.

A minute later, the intercom turned on. "Attention, Ascension Academy students and staff. This is an alert that there is a violent gunman loose within the school. Please feel free to run away screaming like you would if your friend asked you to see a live-action anime film. Thank you."

In the courtyard, Rin's eyes widened. "That voice...he's here...!" "Did he just say there was a gunman in the school?" Rose asked. "What the hell is he playing at now?!" Tenko asked. "No time for that now. Even if this is some kind of prank, we have to move." Jugo said. "W-wait, JoJo and Hiyoko are still in the homeroom. And I don't know where Jin went off to..." Tenko said. "They'll have to make their own way out, right now we have to get out of here." Jugo responded. The group followed the growing crowd of panicked students out of the academy.

Inside the homeroom, Jin was lying motionless on the floor. "Wooooow. All it took was one right hook and the bastard dropped like a rock. Ace choice of new friends ya got, JoJo." Kaido joked. "How the hell did you find us?" Hiyoko asked. "Let's just say a friendly redbird told me. Nice enough to get me into this school of yours, too." "Tch, should've guessed. Thought that was his voice just now." Shūjo said.

Kaido sat at the teacher's desk, gun firmly pointed towards Shūjo. He planted his feet on the desk. "Nice joint ya stumbled your way into. How much did Mommy and Daddy pay to get you in here? Not that it matters, seeing as made off with as much of the clan's funds as they could pocket." Before he could say anything else, he heard the sound of a door closing. Taking advantage of Kaido's focusing on Shūjo, Jin had crawled over to the closet, shut the door and quickly barricaded himself. "Hey!" Kaido yelled, springing up, and proceeding to knock furiously on the door. "Pfeh, sneaky bastard. Whatever, he ain't my problem. Unfortunately for you two, though..." He retook his position at the desk.

Inside the closet, Jin began to type a message.

Outside the school, the students were crowded in front of the entrance. "Sheesh, where are they?" Jugo asked. "It's a sizable crowd...maybe we just can't see them?" Rose added. Tenko's phone pinged. She looked, and turned pale. "What's wrong?" Rin asked. "It's from Jin..." Tenko began.

"Guy with a gun in the homeroom. I'm locked in the closet. He has JoJo and Hiyoko. Sounds like they know each other."

"Wha...?" Rin uttered. "So it's not just a trick..." Rose added.

Inside the classroom, Jin was listening through the closet door. "So where's the rest of your crew, bro? Trying to teach your old man that you can handle things on your own, again?" Shūjo said. "DON'T CALL ME THAT! I ain't your brother, JoJo. Not anymore. That ship sailed when you pissed off to this hellhole." "OK, fine. So what, you're here for your revenge? Shoot me in the middle of a school and somehow find a way out? That the idea?" "Well, duh. Course I'm gonna waste you when this is all over. But that's not the main thing I'm here for. I'm here to collect on our families' contract."

He took a rolled up paper out of his jacket pocket, and untied it. "You remember what my clan's name is, right JoJo?" "What the hell does that have to do wi--" "Answer the damn question, JoJo." "Tch. Yeah, I do. Minamoto. As in..." "As in the surname of the greatest warrior to ever serve Japan. One whose death only came from the betrayal of someone he trusted. Just bringing this up cuz, well, history just loves a repeat performance." "You're no Yoshitsune, Kaido." Hiyoko retorted. "Yeah, you're right. Cuz I'm not gonna be the one commiting seppuku before this is over. But one thing at a time, let's read this contract together, shall we?"

"'A blood pact between the Higashikata and Minamoto clans. To foster an enduring bond of unity and prosperity, the leaders of both clans make this solemn promise: that when the day comes where the male heir of one clan becomes of age, that he shall choose from the opposite clan's ranks his bride.' Signed in blood by the clans' leadership. For the last year, I've been thinking up what the best way to get to you would be. Shooting ya right here would work just fine, but oh no, I gotta go deeper than that. I gotta take away the one thing you care about more than anything else."

"I'm gonna take Hiyoko with me."

"Like HELL you are!" Hiyoko exclaimed. "Yeah dude, I'm gonna have to take a hard pass on that. What I can do is give you this nice ruler someone left here, and you can use that to go fuck yourself." Shūjo retorted. Kaido chuckled. "Oh don't get me wrong, I wouldn't go for a broken doll like her for no reason. It'd just be so satisfying to know that you'd be looking up from your briny pit in hell, seeing the girl of your dreams with the friend you abandoned for her. And even in death, it would just eat you up. That'd be a thousand times better then just putting one between your eyes."

Kaido got up. "This joint's a bit cramped, though. On your feet, both of you. I want everyone to see your last, shameful moments before I make you off yourself. Move it!" The two got up, and Kaido grabbed Hiyoko. "C'mon, let's get to know each other a little better. I'm not so bad, once ya get to know me..." He marched the two out of the room.

Inside the closet, Jin resumed typing.

"He's taking them somewhere. Guy sounds serious."

"Oh, God. What's even happening?" Rin asked. "Tenko, ask him what this man's name is." Rose said. "We're really gonna try this? Do we even have enough time?" Jugo asked. "I don't think we have any other options." Rose answered.

Jin replied. "Kaido Minamoto, I think. If you're going for his heart, hurry up. It sounds like he's gonna kill JoJo."

"We've gotta get away from this crowd." Rin said. Then, Tenko's phone pinged again.

"I'll try to keep him occupied."

Tenko panicked. "The hell...?! Is he nuts?! He's gonna get himself killed!" "If we hurry, it might not have to come to that. Let's disappear." Rose said. The four snuck away.

They hid in a nearby alleyway. Rose searched through her phone. "Any luck?" Rin asked. "Minamoto, Minamoto...here. Doesn't look like he has a full Palace, but I can still locate his Shadow. Let's hurry. Whatever Jin has planned, who knows how long it will work for?" A doorway appeared, and they stepped inside.

Meanwhile, Kaido had taken Hiyoko and Shūjo to the roof of the school. At this point, a light rain had begun. "On your knees, JoJo." Kaido demanded. "Blech, no, seriously?" Shūjo joked. "Really? Gonna play the funny man now?" "Sorry, man. Not in our nature to show any fear. I don't wear this mark on my chest if I'm even the slightest bit afraid to die." "Well, goodie goodie. Makes this a hell of a lot easier. Knees. Now."

Suddenly, a portal appeared. Out stepped the hooded student, now wearing a dark ski mask to shroud his face. "Took you long enough, Mr. Magic. It was about to get awkward." Kaido said. "Hey, lighten up. My word on JoJo here was good, wasn't it? Got the goods for ya, right here." The hooded man handed over a sheathed dagger. "Gotta respect a guy that goes with tradition. Oh, and uh...in case you wanna go full blast with a little decapitation after." He presented a katana. "...I'll think about it."

Kaido turned to Shūjo. He tossed the dagger over. "This is what happens when you shame the people that trust you. Wanna know the real reason I came here alone? It's cuz the boys in our old crew dropped me. Tossed me aside like yesterday's trash. You were the one they respected, and once you were gone, poof. They just up and left. And what's a yakuza heir supposed to do with no crew standing by him? Clan leadership won't take me seriously when I can't even command respect from my peers. You abandoning me turned me into a laughingstock! Now you're gonna repent for every last bit of suffering I've had to deal with. But first, I want to hear you apologize. Apologize, and then stick that dagger in your gut. Or she dies with you. Your choice."

Shūjo sighed. "Alright. Fine. I'll apologize. But not to you." "Huh?" "I'm gonna apologize...to her." Hiyoko perked up. "Oh, this oughta be a riot." said the hooded student, who used a portal to summon forth a chair, which he promptly sat in.

"I'm sorry you had the bad luck of ending up with me. All I ever bring you is danger and misery. I love you. That's as open a secret as there's ever been. And that's why I can't keep putting you in danger like this. All I want is your safety. And if sacrificing myself ensures that...then that's what I'll do." "JoJo...please, don't..." Hiyoko uttered tearfully. Shūjo grabbed the dagger, and then...

Vocal percussion on a whole 'nother level, coming from my miiiiind~!

A song echoed out. Everyone looked confused. "What the hell...?" questioned Kaido.

Vocal percussion on a whole 'nother level, coming from my miiiiind~!

They looked over. Standing on top of the entrance to the roof was Jin. The song was blaring from his phone. And he was elaborately dancing along to it.

IIIIIIII, want golden wind (Kono me amereri maroreri merare maro)~

Everyone was speechless. "What are you doing...?" the Reaper deadpanned.

IIIIIIII, want golden wind (Kono me amereri maroreri merare maro)~

Kaido furiously fired at Jin, who jumped down from his perch out of sight. "Grrrr, hey! Go get the bastard, will ya?!" "Nuh-uh. I'm tired of chopping that guy up. You take care of it." the Reaper retorted. Kaido grumbled. "Either of you moves, you're dead. Along with your dancing dumbass." Kaido gave chase.

As he made his way down the stairs, he could hear the music coming from the other end of the hallway. He ran towards it. Moments later, Jin poked his head out from one of the classrooms, and after making sure the coast was clear, ran back towards the stairs.

Jin ran back onto the roof. The Reaper was sitting on his chair, reading a copy of The Divine Comedy, paying no attention to the rain, nor to Hiyoko and Shūjo. Jin ran over to the two. "Wait, you gave him the slip? How?" Hiyoko asked. Jin just pointed to his head. "Hey, Jin. Hey hey hey, Jin. Jinnie boy, how ya doin'? Aw c'mon, I know you can hear me! Hey, how's the old neck doin'?" the Reaper taunted. Jin didn't look towards him, but still bore an irritated expression. "Ahhhh, spoilsport. Whatevs, this rain's killing my mojo. I'm out of here." "You're just leaving? Just like that?" Shūjo asked. "Damn straight. Not gonna sit around waiting for this tool to realize he's been had. Serves him right for leaving y'all here. 'Sides, I've got shit to do. Peace out, homeskillets!" The Reaper opened a portal, and disappeared through it.

"We have to get out of here before he comes back!" Hiyoko said. "You go on ahead. I've gotta take care of something first." Shūjo retorted. "Are you nuts?! Then I'm staying right here!" "No way. This is between me and him. If you got caught in it, I'd never forgive myself. There's only one way this ends. Me or him. I like my chances better knowing you're out of danger." Jin frantically motioned to leave. Hiyoko turned, gave a sigh, and kissed Shūjo on the cheek. "You pick the most asinine times to play the hero, you know that?" she said, before running off. "Yeah...I get that a lot." Shūjo remarked.

In the other world, the group were searching through the halls of the Tartarus hotel. "Seriously, how is this so complicated?!" Tenko asked. "Without a DNA sample I can only get rough coordinates. It shouldn't be too far now." Rose answered. Shortly after, they came across a door with Kaido's name on it. "Here we are."

Upon opening the door, they saw that the room was covered wall-to-wall in images of Shūjo, many of which bore circles, others stabbed with daggers. In the middle of the room, crouched down, was Kaido, only now with the Shadows' signature yellow pupils. He was speaking to himself.

"Apologize, apologize, apologize, apologize, apologize, apologize..." he rambled on. "That's all I want to hear is those words from your mouth, that you're sorry for destroying my life. I've lost my friends, my clan's respect, my entire reason for living. All because of that girl...that just sums it all up, doesn't it? Ever since we were kids, that's all I ever heard. 'Isn't JoJo soooooo cool', 'What a dreamboat, he saved that girl's life', 'He's gonna be the next great clan head', over and over and over. It never really hit me until you left. I only ever got respect from being around you. Without you around, they think I'm next to useless."

"Useless...useless useless useless useless useless useless USELESS!" He slowly got up, and turned to the group. "You all...you're JoJo's new posse, right? The ones that red creep was telling me about. That used to be my role, you know. Until he decided he wanted to be a goody two-shoes and forget everything. You're here to stop me from taking my revenge, right? Well, fine. Go ahead and try it!" Shadows began emanating from him, and he transformed into a bulky, black-garbed pirate captain.

"Apologize, apologize, apologize, apologize...I'll have your lives for an apology!"

In the real world, Kaido returned to the roof. "Damn runt. Thinks he can get the slip on me..." He saw that Shūjo was the only one still there. "Well hello there, 'bro'." he said. "So the red dick went and left, huh? Should've figured as much." "Yup. Just you and me, now. Just how you wanted it."

"I'm only gonna say this once. You were my bro for years. If what we had was real in any way, you wouldn't be pulling this shit. A real friend would've accepted my decision. Instead of marching over here amd trying to convince me to kill myself. Was all of it just convenience for you? Was what we had a means to an end?" "Don't give me that high and mighty crap, JoJo. When you left, I lost everything. Only fair that I even the scales." "Fine. Then you know what's gotta happen. When two gangsters have a problem, there's only one solution." Shūjo removed his school blazer. Kaido removed his tuxedo and tie. "Mortal combat it is, then." he said.

The two took on a fighting stance, before engaging.

Inside Tartarus, the Shadow swung his blade madly. Rin dodged the assault, getting in a strike any chance she could. "Those movements...and that spear...just what the hell are you?!" the Shadow demanded. He swung again, only for Rin to land atop the blade. "Sorry, forgot to introduce myself. I'm Ringo Kubo, the happiest girl you'll ever meet. And as of right now..." The Shadow angrily swung again, only for Rin to leap onto his head. "...your exquisite owner." She cut the Shadow down the middle, toppling him. The others looked on. "And that's why she's the boss." Jugo said. The Shadow groaned. "It's not fair...it just isn't fair...he has everything...everything I should have...I stayed loyal and that's the thanks I get. It always came so easy when he was around..." "Maybe that just means you need to work harder for it. Respect needs to be earned. If you got respect just from being around someone, then that's not really respect. You get through life with your own qualities, not someone else's. You're you, and JoJo is JoJo. You have to learn how to stand on your own, without him. And that starts with learning when to let go of a grudge." Rin explained.

The Shadow thought for a moment. "You're right...I've been blaming JoJo for everything that's gone wrong in my life, but that just meant that I hadn't done enough to stand on my own. I'll...I'll call off the revenge plot. Whatever I need to do to earn back what I've lost. But maybe...maybe I never really had it to begin with..." The Shadow faded away.

In the real world, Shūjo and Kaido continued their fight, both bloodied from the other's assault. Shūjo began to land more attacks, and eventually, managed to overpower Kaido, knocking him to the ground. He stood over Kaido, but rather than try to get up, the latter stayed on the ground. "Go on then, JoJo. Finish me off. I've got nothing left to give besides my life. I've tried being you for all these years. That didn't work, and beating you didn't work either. You had everything. The cool personality, the respect, a girl that adores you. And it all came so damn easy. So just...just end it. I'm nothing."

Shūjo just stood there. "Get up." He pulled Kaido up. "I'm not gonna end you. That isn't what I am anymore. And from the sound of it, I've taken enough from you as it is. So here's what I'm gonna do instead..." He pulled Kaido in close, and whispered in his ear.

A few minutes later, the group emerged from the portal. Upon reentering the crowd of students, they ran into Hiyoko and Jin. "Oh, thank God!" Tenko sighed. "Where's JoJo?" Rin asked. "Yo." Shūjo appeared, battered and bruised. Hiyoko embraced him. "Aaaaand what's going on here?" Rin asked with a smirk. Jin began playing a song on his phone. "When a maaaaan loves a woman~" it played. "Fucking dick." Shūjo grumbled. "Alright, that's enough of that. Let's go get those bruises looked at..." Hiyoko led Shūjo away by the hand. "Well, that took long enough." Jugo said. "There's still something strange...what happened to Kaido?" Rose asked. "Well wherever he is...probably stewing over a lot." Rin said.

As they spoke, a figure walked away from the crowd, garbed in an academy hoodie. As he got away, Kaido looked back, and saw Hiyoko attending to Shūjo's injuries. He smirked. "Thanks, bro." He turned and walked away.

\---

'And thus did the prince and princess finally profess their true feelings. And though the prince's fallen friend had raged against them, the princd gave him mercy, and a second chance to find himself.'

'When given the choice between executing his friend and sparing him, the prince chose life. When given the ultimatum to take his own life to protect the princess, he chose his own death. Such is the way of the noble prince.'

'And the princess who adored him finally got her wish. For there was no danger too great, no threat too harrowing, that she wouldn't risk to be by his side. Such is the fortitude of the loving princess.'

'And though the crimson evil that loomed over the land still remained free, on this day, the violence and despair he brought did not win. Though bloodshed had been threatened, in the end, love and mercy had won the day.'

'For now, the light of hope had pierced through the veil of despair.'

'May it remain so for all eternity.'


	9. "Cool Off the Press"

DECEMBER 9, 2019

NARUKI ASCENSION ACADEMY

Autumn's mild temperatures had given way to winter's frozen grip. A steady snow was falling upon Naruki City. Christmas was right around the corner. This was a time of joy for most.

For most. For different reasons.

School had ended for the day. Most of the student body had departed elsewhere. But Kyohei Ishimaru is not most of the student body. The junior class's enigmatic president was sitting at a teacher's desk in one of the classrooms. One could be forgiven for assuming he was a teacher, and with the sway he held, he could easily be one. All of the club leaders answered to him, and many students kept their spots in the academy at his discretion. Most students could never dream of having this kind of influence.

But most students could not call the Prime Minister of Japan "uncle", either.

Some would say he was built for the political world. Cunning, manipulative, willing to do anything to further his goals. Even kill, as one Tohru Kubo found out. One of the few that Ishimaru would consider a peer intellectually, he nonetheless served as a threat to Ishimaru's standing within the school. But in dealing with his threat, Ishimaru may have created an even bigger one.

Ringo Kubo was superior to her brother in every way. Intellectually and personality-wise, she was the kind of student every teacher wishes their entire class could emulate. She possessed an aura that made people trust her instantly. She was not easily intimidated. And she'd surrounded herself with allies that, in some way or another, all had a bone to pick with him. Ishimaru had put out one flame, only for a more intense one to take its place.

His three closest confidants had been dwindled down to one. Taikutsu Kyōshinja was sitting in a jail cell. Kurojū Mishima was dead. Only Ginmaru Hibiki remained. One would assume he was feeling cornered. But a future Prime Minister (if his scheme came to fruition) would not concede defeat so easily. He still had an ace up his sleeve.

He still had the Reaper on his payroll.

The crimson-clad assassin had done flawless work for Ishimaru thus far, ending Torhu Kubo's life and silencing Mishima before he could spill any more secrets than he had. Ringo's group knew he was involved, but couldn't prove it. Ishimaru knew he had hit the jackpot with the Reaper: a madman without a conscience and untold supernatural powers. And he was obsessed with Ringo Kubo. It was unbelievable to Ishimaru that someone like this could be in his class. He had seen the Reaper's true face, and it was one nobody would assume could be capable of such crimes. Having this sort of leverage over someone so powerful, so terrible, only fueled Ishimaru's ego. He had the entire school in the palm of his hand. He was no mere class president. He would have you believe he was its god.

And so he sat within the classroom, as was the norm for him, planning out his agenda. The door opened, and Hibiki stepped in. "Ishimaru-sama. I hope you're not too busy?" he asked. "When aren't I busy, Ginmaru? The world rests for no man, and so I must always be busy." "Well, if you could pardon the interruption, I think I have something that needs your approval." "Very well. What do you have?"

"We need to put pressure on Kubo's little entourage. She's enjoyed far too many victories to this point. We can't seem like we're standing pat, so I've come up with one easy solution: we out them as the Shinigami Order." "Is that really the wisest decision? Is there any proof you might have?" "This doesn't need to be concrete proof. All I need to do is suggest that they could be the Shinigami, and that they could be guilty of heinous crimes. Then the onus falls on them to prove otherwise. With so many eyes watching them, trying to dissect their every move, their ability to interfere with us will become moot. People will believe anything they hear so long as it makes sense to them. This will cripple their movements to where they won't be able to fight us at all."

Ishimaru pondered this. "Post it on your website. Say that within three days you'll reveal everything about their identities. They'll become so frightened that they might act recklessly. They'll ensure their own defeat, article or no." "Thank you, Ishimaru-sama. I won't disappoint you." "Nor would I expect you to." Hibiki walked out of the room.

A moment later, a figure in a red hood stepped out of the shadows. "Keep an eye on him. If this gets dire in the wrong direction, you know what to do. I leave it at your discretion." Ishimaru said. "Spasiba, sir." The Reaper said. He disappeared. Ishimaru pulled out a picture of Rin from one of his files. "You and your family won't serve as my curse for much longer, Ringo Kubo. Mark my words."

\---

GIRLS' DORMS

"Hey, Rose...have I ever told you what my favorite fruit is?" Rin asked. The pair were sitting at the kitchen table. "I assumed it was obvious." Rose said. "Well, prepare to be surprised. I love apples. They're my aesthetic, after all. If I hated the things I would've asked for a name change a looooong time ago. But...but. They're actually not my favorite." She opened the fridge, and pulled out a peach. "This right here. Sweet, nice and pink. When their flowers bloom they're such a beautiful shade of pink. Just looking at one makes me bubbly on the inside."

Rin sighed. "I love Christmastime as much as the next person, but it needs to hurry up and be spring already. That's when everything starts blooming, and the trees are their most beautiful. When I was a kid, my family would spend a weekend out in the mountains when spring started. The trees and the flowers would all be in full bloom, and it'd be the most beautiful sight. We haven't done it in years, but maybe once the season changes we could all make a trek out there." "That sounds like it would be lovely, Rin."

Rin paused. "You know...I've been having this dream lately. I'm in a cabin in the mountains, and there's a woman sitting at a desk. And I can't tell whether it's supposed to be my mom, or me, or whoever. But I hear a little girl yelling 'Mama'. I wake up after this every time." "Hmm, curious. Maybe a memory from your childhood?" "Maybe. I dunno. Just feels weird. I'm fairly sure it's my mom. There's just no way..." "No way you would have a child?" "Hmm...Hiyoko seems to think I would make a great mom. I wouldn't go so far as to say it'd never happen, but...it just felt so weird. I got the sense that there was no one else in the house. Just the vibe I was getting." "Very curious. Well, dreams tend to be very symbolic. Maybe your subconscious is trying to tell you something?" "Could be. I dunno."

Rose pondered for a moment. "Can I tell you about the dream I've been having?" she asked. "Oh, of course. Go ahead." "It's strange...there's nothing but a black void. I'm completely alone. Nothing to be seen but emptiness. But I'm not afraid. Instead...I feel relief." "Relief? What about?" "I don't know. I don't know why solitude would give me comfort. I can't bear the idea of being isolated from you all. I spent my upbringing in near-isolation. Not being with you all...it terrifies me." Rin grabbed her hand. "You don't gotta worry about that. Nothing's gonna split us up. Friends no matter what, right?" "Yes...you're right. Friends for life."

Rin's phone pinged. "Hm? What's this about?" She looked. A message from Jugo.

"Sorry to bother you. But you need to look at the school's news site. RIGHT NOW."

Rin did so. When she saw the front page, her blood ran cold. The big headline: "Editor's Special: Ousting the Shinigami". "What..." Rin read the post, turning pale as she did so.

"We are pleased to announce that we have received revealing facts regarding the criminals known as the Shinigami Order. Within the next three days, we will be revealing the identities of the outlaws and their connections to numerous crimes around the school. If any of the outlaws are reading this article, we would suggest you come forward of your own accord. Save everyone else the trouble, and make it easier on yourselves. The wheels of justice never stop turning."

"This...he's bluffing. He has to be bluffing. They don't have anything..." Rin said nervously. "What if he does? This could be disastrous...everything we've done would be for nothing. Even if it's just suspicions, we wouldn't be able to do anything without hundreds of eyes on us at all times." "They're trying to provoke us, I know it. They're afraid. This is the act of a cornered rat. Well, if they wanted a response they're gonna get one."

"Well, Mr. Hibiki. There's something we actual writers call 'writing yourself into a corner'. And you've just done it. This is gonna be long overdue." Rin said.

\---

DECEMBER 10, 2019

ACADEMY COURTYARD

The group stood nervously in front of the bulletin board. There, in plain view, was the same message from the website. "Damn. He really isn't bluffing, huh..." Shūjo said. They overheard a group of students talking.

"You really think they know who the Shinigami are?" "I hope not. Tough talk from Hibiki calling them criminals..." "Seriously. Just more fact-twisting from that white-haired pervert."

"Well, at least we have them on our side." Jugo said. Jin looked at his phone. Tenko peered over his shoulder. "Forums are pretty much the same. They all want Hibiki's head." "I don't like this. It reeks of a trap. He's daring us to come after him." Hiyoko said. "Well if we don't do anything and he spills our secret, we're double screwed. But if we do go after him, someone could spin it like we did it out of fear. Ugggh, this suuuuuucks." Tenko groaned. "Damned if we do, damned if we don't." Jugo added.

Then, he arrived. "Well, look at this curious scene." Hibiki said. "I've heard of being joined at the hip, but I'm starting to think you all might have a serious issue." "Yeah, it's called having friends. A foreign concept for you, I know." Tenko chided. "Hehehe. Sticks and stones, sweetheart." "Don't 'sweetheart' me, asshole." "Hrm. Suppose that right's reserved for one person only, yes? Although..." He stared at Jin. Jin turned away, a frustrated look on his face.

"That's about enough of that." Rin interjected. "What do you want, Hibiki?" "I'm curious. Why do these Shinigami people have to hide their faces? If they're not guilty of anything, then what do they have to hide? Not showing themselves kind of makes them look like cowards..." "Why are you asking us?" Hibiki came in close. "Let's not beat around the bush. I know it's you all. I merely wish to gain some insight into your way of thinking." "Like hell." Shūjo interjected.

"Look, Ms. Kubo. I realize we're probably not your favorite people in the world, but understand our position. We've managed to keep this school mostly in line for three years, and then someone comes in to disrupt the peace. Wouldn't you want to understand why?" "You know why it's happening. And for the record, control isn't 'peace'."

Hibiki ignored this. Instead, he grasped a part of Rin's hair. "Not the kind of shade you see every day. Is this really natural?" Rin swatted his hand away. "Touch me again, creep. I dare you." she said angrily. Jugo stepped forward. "You've got a lot of nerve trying this in front of us. Just because the Committee's in chaos right now, doesn't mean you can harass someone two feet from my face. Move along. Now." "Hmph. Someone's grown a voice. All it took was my friend being slain by criminals. Fine then, I'll move..."

Hibiki glanced again at Jin, who looked annoyed. "Oh, what's the matter, old boy? Got something to say? Go on, I'm all ears." Jin scowled. "Aww, what's wrong? Stiff upper lip?" Hibiki laughed. But then...

His eyes widened, and he started to tear up. He looked down, to see Tenko's foot jutting from underneath his legs. The searing pain told him exactly what had happened.

He grabbed his crotch, and fell to the floor, rolling in pain. A group of nearby students, all female, broke out in sudden applause. "Invest in a cup, jackass. You'd be doing us all a favor. Come on. Let's get out of here." Tenko grabbed Jin's hand, and they all walked off. Jugo lagged behind. "You...you're going to let them walk? You see what that bitch just did?!" Hibiki grumbled. "I saw someone with more power than they should have harassing fellow students, and one responding in kind. Speaking off the record, you were asking for it. Good day." Jugo walked away.

"Gh...! Asking for it, huh? You all think you've won...just wait until that article goes live. We'll see who's writhing in agony then...!"

\---

A FEW HOURS LATER

The group reconvened in the courtyard during lunch period. "My word, look at all of these reports." Rose said, looking at her phone. "That's probably not even half of it. You thought Mishima was a piece of work, this guy makes him look like a damned samurai." Shūjo said. They started reading from the forum.

"People've been talking about what a creep this guy is for years. Course when you're the one controlling the news feed that makes something like making allegations disappear easier."

"He walked up to me and my friend in the hall one time, and he kept peering down. Turns out he was holding his phone really low to where he could try to get an upskirt shot. Absolutely disgusting."

"He calls himself a 'master martial artist', and thinks that and his position with the press gives him free reign to be a pervert. It's like he thinks we're just here to look pretty for him. I bet he's not even a real martial artist."

"How utterly despicable." said Rose. "It's an open fact that this guy's tried groping every single female student he finds an interest in. Us included." Hiyoko said. "I can believe it." Rin added, fiddling with her hair. "And to top it all off, he acts like he follows this noble credo and calls himself a 'man of peace'. But it never gets reported or covered, cuz he runs the press. And no one's going to try snitching on Ishimaru's right arm. So it's as much invincibility as someone could have." Hiyoko added. "Well, maybe not in every area..." Shūjo said, looking at Tenko. "Hmph. You're gonna criticize me for doing what I did?" "Hell no. Honestly that deserved an award. But maybe provoking the guy holding our secret hostage isn't the best thing to do right now." "Well what did you expect me to do? Let him keep fondling Rin-Rin's hair? Sit still while he made fun of Jin? That bastard knows exactly what happened, and he's got the balls to do that in front of me...! He's lucky he even still has his family jewels after that!" Jin grabbed her shoulders. She let out a sigh. "I'm OK. I'm cool. Totally. I'm Ichiro-level cool. For real."

"Well, anyway." Rin interjected. "Obviously we're going after this guy after school, yeah? Can't afford to just sit around now. Especially if he feels the need to hasten the release date given...recent events." Tenko grumbled. "Look, I grabbed a strand of his hair after I kicked him. See? Now can you all stop looking at me like that?" she said.

"Alright, it's settled. Usual meeting spot, Boss?" Jugo asked. "Yeah. We'll get the sicko before he gets us. Then there's only gonna be the big boss left." Rin said. "Let's not forget his hired hood, either." Hiyoko added. The group then dispersed to their classes.

\---

GIRLS' DORM

AFTER SCHOOL

The group reunited in Rin's dormroom. "Before we go, there's something I'd like to ask." Rose said. "Shoot. What's on your mind, Rosie?" Tenko asked. "It's just something I've noticed since arriving here. Whether it was Kyōshinja or Mishima, or now Hibiki...why do so many men with power have some kind of issue with women?" The group pondered the question. "Honestly...that's a bit of a tough question." Rin said. "Maybe it's because of my point of view, but to me it makes no sense. They all spoke as if our gender made us a nuisance. As if the very fact that we existed in front of them was an aaffront. And Hibiki's conduct is of someone who sees women as possessions to be fondled, rather than individuals. It seems to me like something so petty to be upset over." Rose explained.

"Well, sweetie, unfortunately that's just how a lot of men are. And not just the ones with power." Hiyoko began. "A lot of cultures are very paternal in origin, and a lot of boys are raised to believe that they need to be in control. That if they get shown up in any way by a woman, it's an affront to their manhood. On the other side, women often get portrayed as being weak and frail, so if they show any sort of power over a man, obviously something must be wrong. It's a long, ugly cycle, and one that might not be fixed anytime soon. It's not to say that every man thinks like this, but unfortunately there's a lot of powerful ones that do."

"Hmm...it just seems so foreign to me. It's not something I judge people on. Nothing I admire about you all is based even remotely on gender. So behavior like Hibiki's is incomprehensible to me. That's why I feel he needs to be stopped. Not only to keep our secret intact, but because this behavior needn't be repeated." Tenko gave a smirk, and patted Rose on the head. "How did we ever luck into this sweet a cinnamon roll?" she quipped. "Seriously, can we put in a request for more of you?" Hiyoko added. "Well, I could ask my father about his creation process, though he may not be so open to the idea..." Rose said. "Um...I'm pretty sure that was a joke, Rose..." Jugo said. "O-oh, right. Sorry. I should have known..." Rose started blushing. "L-let's get to it, then. Time is the enemy, after all." she stuttered. She operated her phone, and a doorway appeared. "This is gonna be SO fucked up, I can already tell..." Shūjo stated. They entered the doorway.

\---

ELSEWHERE

Hibiki typed away at the computer.

"And now, for the moment you all have been waiting for. Just who are these criminals who call themselves Gods of Death? I'm not one to keep you all in suspense. Here they are, for all to see:

Tenko Kitsunezaru.

Shūjo Higashikata.

Shijūgo Oda.

Jinichi Mirai.

Hiyoko Taiyō

Rosemary Farquhar.

And the leader of this band of fiends, the mastermind behind these horrible acts:

Ringo Kubo. Sister to the departed Tohru Kubo. And if you are in the know, it would seem that, in more ways than one, the apple has not fallen far from the criminal tree..."

Hibiki chuckled to himself, a psychotic grin on his face. "Only a matter of time, now...screwing with me comes with consequences, you mewling quim." He cackled to himself.

\---

The group appeared in front of a large pagoda. The palace itself was flashing neon colors, and was adorned by a large neon sign reading "Hibiki Gentleman's Paradise". Other signs reading "XXX" and showing silhouettes of women in provocative poses were prevalent on the walls. "Oh...boy." Rin said nervously. "I hate being right sometimes." Shūjo grumbled. "Anyone have a blindfold handy? I get this feeling that there's things here we shouldn't let Rosie see..." Tenko asked. Rose stayed silent, though she began to turn red.

The group approached the entrance gate, styled to look like the entrance to a nightclub. "Steel your minds, everybody. This might get ugly." Rin said. The girls walked in with no problems. When Shūjo attempted to walk through, however, he was stopped by an unseen force. "Gah, the hell?!" he griped. Jugo and Jin both attempted to pass, but met with similar results. A Shadow manifested resembling a bouncer. "Stop right there. Hibiki-sensei has decreed that only the most beautiful of women be allowed within his hallowed den. Pigs like you have no place here." "Are you shittin' me?! What kinda crap is that?!" Shūjo lit his hand alight, but Jugo stopped him. "Hold up there, man. Picking a fight this early wouldn't be prudent. We're trying to avoid attention, remember?" Shūjo growled. "So we gotta sit this one out? Man, this sucks." Jin put his hands on his hips and shook his head.

"Welp, guess we don't have much choice. Girls-only mission it is." Rin said. "You guys OK with just waiting for us out here?" "Seems like that's our only course of action. Don't worry. I'll make sure Penn and Teller here don't try anything drastic." Jugo answered. "The hell did he just call us?" Shūjo asked. Jin shrugged. "Don't worry, we'll be alright. We'll be back before you know it." Hiyoko said. "Yeah, yeah, I know..." Shūjo sighed. "Just, if it gets too effed up in there, you can turn around. Or at least cover Rose's eyes and ears." "I'll keep that in mind." The girls ventured inside. "Well ain't this just a pickled peach, eh Jin?" asked Shūjo. Jin grimaced and gave a thumbs down. Jugo sighed. "The neon signs, these two comedians...it's like I never left Nevada."

The girls walked through the palace, and could hear strange, moaning noises behind every door they walked past. "I would assume these were women being tortured, but it almost sounds like...enjoyment." Rose pondered. "Ugh, I'm gonna vomit so hard when we get out of here. Actually, maybe before then..." Tenko said. "I knew this place would be bad, but I didn't think it'd be this...vulgar." Rin added.

The group reached an area with a window, and looked out at a large nightclub area filled with scantily-clad women. At the center, sitting on a couch and flanked by women, was Hibiki. He wore what appeared to be a martial-arts uniform, but stylized and flashy, matching the surroundings. He wore a giant gold chain around his neck. His pupils glowed yellow. He drank from a giant chalice. "Hehehehehehe. This is the high life, baby. So many lovely things to look at, and it's all for me..." he snickered.

"And there's King Dick, himself. Excuse me while I go vomit in my mouth..." Tenko said nauseously. "How do these slimeballs find ways to be slimier on the inside?" Rin asked. Hiyoko had no response. "Something wrong?" Rose asked. "Besides everything about this whole situation." Tenko quipped. "...this place. It reminds me..."

Hiyoko thought back to that time. Standing in front of a strange building, peering in and seeing the woman who birthed her amongst provocative and sleazy-looking individuals. And her mother staring right at her, and having no reaction. The lights, the language, the signs. They were all indentical. Just as vulgar as what she was looking at right now.

"This is the kind of place I last saw my mother in." she mused. "Your mother...what would she be doing somewhere like this?" Rose asked. "I could think of a few reasons, looking at this charming scene..." Tenko said. "It's almost too perfect. For someone who constantly preached about virtue and godliness to be amongst something so filled with vice. It's fittingly hypocritical." Hiyoko said.

"I never wanted to think about that woman again. But looking out at this wretched sight, at this horrible, hypocritical man...all of that pain comes rushing back. I just don't get it. I have JoJo, and I have you all...why does that loathsome woman still linger in my mind?" Hiyoko mused. "Well, speaking from experience, when someone hurts you, it tends to linger. When family hurts you, it never completely goes away. Family's supposed to have your back no matter what, but when it's the opposite, it makes no sense. A friend can hurt you, but you can distance yourself from them if it's bad enough. When it's your blood, then there's always going to be that connection. I know how bad it must feel. Just have to remember, you've got a new family now. It might not erase the past, but it can help make a better future. And there's your Apple-chan piece of advice for the day." Rin explained. Hiyoko giggled. "Just like a writing prodigy, always knowing the right things to say." Tenko grabbed Rin's shoulders. "That's our Rin-Rin!" she exclaimed.

The girls eventually reached a sealed door, marked with the words, "Sensei's Quarters". "Let's see. Locked door, pompous message...this has to be it." Rin said. They peered through the door, and saw Hibiki still on the couch. "Sheesh, he's surrounded in there. Let's head back and prep the warning message. Gonna have to strategize for this one if we don't want a massive brawl." Rin said. The girls left.

Outside, the boys were sitting patiently. "Seriously man, I've felt sooo much better this past month. Confessing my feelings was such a goddamn relief." Shūjo said. "Oh God, please, not this conversation." Jin thought. "Now the only fuzzy feelings I get are when I'm with Hiyoko. But good fuzzy." "Please stop talking." "You were right, bro. Life's too short, too risky to not say anything. Couldn't have realized that without ya." "I'm starting to regret it." "Maybe you could give me some pointers. Obviously got some magic in ya to charm Tenko's heart." "I have no voice, and I must scream." "Dude, you realize he can't answer you back, right?" Jugo asked. "Nah, but he gets it. We're on the same wavelength, him and me. Right, big guy?" "HELP."

The girls arrived. "We're back, gentlemen." Tenko said. "Oh, my eternal savior." Jin thought. "So, what did you find out?" Jugo asked. "That I'm gonna need a major shower when we get back." Rin said. "We'll discuss our next move when we return. There's...much to be digested." Rose said, blushing. "I fear for what we're doing to this poor girl." said Hiyoko. The group departed.

\---

DECEMBER 11, 2019

ACADEMY COURTYARD

To see students grouped together during lunch period wasn't unusual. But there was something about this gathering that piqued Hibiki's interest. Students had swarmed around the bulletin board, and were chattering amongst themselves. "Out of the way, what's going on here?" He forced his way to the board. Littering the board were copies of the same message, written on elaborate parchment. They were addressed to him.

Ginmaru Hibiki, you have been found guilty of indulging in the sin of lust. You have used your power over the press to escape from your crimes against the female populace. Your behavior taints the people around you. For the sake of future generations, we will make you confess to your sins with your own mouth. -- The Shinigami Order

Hibiki was incredulous. "Those...those idiots...! Committing all of these acts, and then having the nerve to say I'mthe sinful one?! Aha...ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa!" He devolved into maddened laughter. Within his Palace, his Shadow responded much the same way. "Me...the criminal? Ahahaha...how pretentious can you be?!" In the real world, he turned to the startled crowd. "Can you all believe this? Me, a generational poison? How absurd. Well, if this is how they want it, I'll respond in kind! Yes, tonight...tonight, all will be made clear! We'll see how 'heroic' these death gods are when their truth is laid bare for you all to see! Aha...ahahahahahahaha!" He walked away, laughing nervously all the way. "Wow. He's gone off the deep end." one student said. "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy." "For real. The Shinigami better hurry up and kick his ass."

Jugo listened in. He sent out a group text. "The target's read the message. We've got hours. It's on you now, ladies."

After school, the girls met up in the dorms. "Alright. The boys are gonna stay here, in case things with Hibiki here devolve too quick. We ready for this creepshow?" Rin asked. The others stared, with creeped-out looks. "Yeah, I know. But it's gotta be done." They opened a doorway, and entered it.

Once they had entered the palace, they made their way to the sealed door. "Now how do we go about this?" Rose asked. "So many Shadows in there, if we just go in with our weapons drawn it might get ugly." Tenko added. The girls pondered their options. "We might need to go in incognito. Get in close and then do what needs doing. But how to do it..." Rin said. Hiyoko looked over at a nearby room. "Maybe a disguise?" They went inside the room, which contained numerous bunny girl-type costumes. They looked nervously. "Bleeeeh, just the thought of him ogling my body makes me want to puke..." Hiyoko grumbled. "Ditto. I might be too tempted to cave in his you-know-what when I get close." Tenko added. "Given how much of an egomaniac this guy is, he might not take to a girl with scars..." Rin mused. They looked at Rose. She quickly turned red again. "I...suppose peace requires sacrifice. But this still drives me to wretch..." "I'm sorry, Rosie. If he tries to touch you, feel free to deck him." Rin said reassuringly. Rose nervously clasped her hands together. "Forgive me, father...this will be so sinful...!"

A few minutes later, Rose entered the nightclub area, wearing a velvet-colored bunny girl outfit, complete with ears. She blushed, and played around with one of the ears. "How unsightly...and to think this was the most conservative outfit they had..." She looked out to a sea of scantily-clad women, and at the end of the room, there was a large, silver statue of a muscular Hibiki flanked by women. "This man's ego knows no limits..." Rose mused. She made her way towards Hibiki's Shadow. Outside, Rin, Tenko and Hiyoko watched. "Ugh, this makes me sick. I tell her we aren't objects and then send her to be that disgusting man's plaything. I'm as hypocritical as my mother!" Hiyoko said regrettably. "It's not your fault. We're in no-win territory now. If this gets yucky, we jump in." Rin answered. "All I'll say is, he tries anything funny with her..." Tenko began unsheathing her sword. "...I'm chopping them off."

Rose sat at one of the bars. "This is so very uncomfortable..." The Shadow looked over and saw her. "Well hellooooo, beautiful." He walked over to her. "And how are we today, sweetheart?" "My...day has been rather pleasant up to this point." "'Rather pleasant'. Such a good-mannered girl. I like that. There's not enough good-mannered girls nowadays. Kind of spoils the artwork when the art itself doesn't enjoy being looked at."

"Artwork?" "Well, of course. I consider myself to be something of a connoisseur of fine art. But unfortunately, society seems to have taken on a 'look, but don't touch' policy when it comes to my particular brand of artwork." "You mean women." "Well, if we're being literal here, then yes. What did God give to Adam after instructing him to avoid the temptations of the Devil? None other than a beautiful, female companion for him to have." "She had a name, you know. Eve." "Yes, yes, of course. My point is, why would God give such a gift if not to appreciate it? Why do women work so tirelessly on their appearance if they don't want to be looked at? This is why I created this palace in this image. I'm the only one who truly appreciates the female body for the work of art that it is. And this..." He motioned towards the statue of himself. "...is their reward for acknowledging their place. They should have something breathtaking to look at, too. And what better gift is there than the image of their humble Sensei?" Rose was visibly growing angrier. "So narcissistic..." she said under her breath.

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Here's what I still struggle to understand. I offer people my acknowledgement, my approval. Yet all I receive in return is scorn. Meanwhile, you have these so-called Shinigami running around, forcefully changing the hearts of others, and they get showered with praise. It's mind-boggling. You don't think that way, do you, my dear? You can appreciate who the true master deserving of praise is..." He moved his hand towards her hip. Furious, Rose reacted instinctively.

The Shadow felt the searing pain instantly as her foot connected with his lower extremities.

The other girls looked on in shock. The Shadow collapsed with a whelp as the Shadow women reacted in horror. "Keep your filthy grasp to yourself, you chauvinistic cur! I'm not some doll for you to fondle as you please!" Rose stated angrily. "Why, you...! Who the hell do you think you are?!" the Shadow grumbled. "As a 'good-mannered girl', allow me to introduce myself properly." Her eyes glowed yellow, and she returned to her usual garb. "I am Rosemary Farquhar, and I am a representative of the Shinigami Order. I'm here to make you confess to your disgusting acts." "You...that's right, you are one of those crooks. Credit on the disguise. But if you think a 3rd Grade-level attack is going to finish me, you're dead wrong." A dark aura began to surround Hibiki, and the Shadow women all dispersed, their aura flowing into him. In a burst of shadow, he transformed into a massive, grey pig-like monster wielding a pair of large broadswords.

"I think that's our cue." Rin said, and the girls stormed in. "Hmm. So you brought more of your uppity companions with you? So much the better. I'll play with you all until you're broken! High school girls, so pure, so raw...such a turn-on!" tbe Shadow roared. "I've heard enough of your profane drivel, monster...you won't get to do as you please any more!" Rose shouted. "Now here's what the fairer sex thinks of your 'appreciation', asshole!" Tenko added. The girls armed themselves.

The Shadow swung his blade down. Tenko activated her shield and blocked it. He attempted to use the other one, but Rin blocked it with her spear. "What's the point resisting? This is what every woman wants! A man that can assert themselves!" he growled. Hiyoko summoned her spirit, and it dissolved into a flock of bats, that swarmed around the Shadow's eyes. With a roar, the Shadow dispersed the swarm, and sent the girls back. "Such disgraceful judgement. But what should I expect from girls who would go for a criminal and a mute shut-in?" "Yeah, we're idiots for going for guys that treat us like humans and actually care about us. As opposed to an Adonis like you." Tenko snapped back. "Does the modern girl speak nothing but back-talk? Enough with your insolence!" He raised his weapons.

Then, there was a rustle. The giant statue began to move. Specifically, one of the women adorning the statue sprung to life, and stepped down from her perch. The Shadow turned, and was confused. He looked down, to see strands of thread emerging from behind Rose, and extending to the statue. The stone woman grabbed the remaining part of the statue, and proceeded to swing it down upon the Shadow's head. Lying amid rubble, the Shadow looked up. "You wanted a woman's touch? You have it." Rose quipped, before releasing her control. The stone woman slowly fell on top of the Shadow, exploding into more rubble.

The Shadow, back to human form, crawled out from under the rubble. "Why...why? I have everything to offer a woman. Power, appreciation, invincibility. Why must I be rejected so?" he whimpered. "Don't talk like your only sin is calling a girl pretty." Tenko chided. "There's nothing wrong with complimenting a girl. But forcing yourself onto someone without their consent is morally and legally wrong." Rin added. "True, the boys we fell in love with aren't what you would call 'ideal'. But their care for us goes deeper that just compliments. They understand us better than anyone, and we understand them. It's not just about telling us we're royalty. It's about making us feel like we're royalty by how they treat us." Hiyoko added. "And for the record, that doesn't include touching a girl where she doesn't want to be touched." Tenko said.

"Here's what's going to happen. You're going to call off that article. And then, you're going to publically apologize to every woman you've wronged in your life. However you choose to do so is up to you. And then...you tell us everything you know about the Reaper. Whatever punishment society has in store for you comes after. Do I make myself clear?" Rose lectured. "Yes...very much so. I'll delete that article posthaste. And then the apologies can begin. That Jin, and that JoJo...what must they possess, to woo such strong, beautiful women?" "An appreciation of us as people, Hibiki. That's the best compliment they could give us." Tenko answered. The Shadow faded away.

\---

The girls returned to the real world. A couple hours later, Rin received a message from Hiyoko. "Check the news site!!!" it read. She did so. The headline atop the page read "Update, and an Apology". She began to read it.

"A few days ago, I promised that I would reveal the identities of the group known as the Shinigami Order. However, after careful reconsideration, I have decided to rescind on that promise. I acknowledge that it is wrong of me to declare someone as being a criminal, when I myself have been wrongfully avoiding punishment for my own crimes. Though it is too much to get into at this point in time, I would like to formally apologize to any female student who has felt personally marginalized and violated by my actions towards them. I am going to partake in intense self-analysis, and decide upon what the proper course of atonement will be. I am so, deeply sorry for all the pain I have caused. -- Ginmaru Hibiki"

"Well, it's a start." Rin said.

Meanwhile, in his room, Hibiki sat at his computer desk, his hands to his face. "How am I ever going to word this?" he asked. "You can start with 'sorry for being a slimy pile of anal waste'. Good to grab the reader's attention." Hibiki turned around. There stood the Reaper. "You...what are you doing here?" Hibiki asked. "You cause this ginormous shitstorm and you're really gonna ask me that? And I thought you had half a brain." "Did Ishimaru-sama send you here?" "I'm not his attack dog 100% of the time. I sent myself here. See, I have a bit of an issue with your recent conduct."

"Now, I don't have a problem with leaking their identities. You could leak on them, and I wouldn't give a shit. But I had one rule for you all. One. And you broke it." He held up a phone. It showed an image of the day before, when Hibiki handled Rin's hair. "You...you saw that?" "I see everything when it comes to her. I gave you one rule, Hibiki. The girl is MINE. I don't say shit for no reason. Rules exist to be followed, Dad! You don't get to ignore them when you feel like it!" "You...you called me 'dad'...why?" "Slip of the tongue. You're as weaselly and pathetic as he was. But since you decided to piss me off even more, I'm gonna skip the torture part and get to the main event." He opened a portal. He grabbed Hibiki by the collar, and dragged him towards it. "Please, stop! I'm sorry, I'll never go near the girl again, please...!" "You make me do this, man. Rules are rules. And there's consequences for breaking them. It's the season for giving, so I'm gonna give you your gift..." He held Hibiki up. "I'm giving you your penance." He flung Hibiki into the portal, and closed it.

The Reaper stood there, before letting out a yell of frustration. Then he began to laugh. "Ya see that, Dad?! See what following the rules really looks like?!" He tore a hole open into the other world and peered inside. "Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!" He laughed to himself again.

\---

DECEMBER 12, 2019

ACADEMY COURTYARD

Rin, Tenko and Rose walked towards the school's courtyard. They noticed that several students were rushing towards it. "Hm? What's with all the commotion?" Rose asked. As they neared the exit, they saw Jin standing near the door, looking pale. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." Tenko asked. He looked up, and frightfully shook his head. "What, what's wrong? Why's everyone rushing out there?" They attempted to go through the door, but Jin grabbed Tenko, and continued to shake his head. "Jeez, what's gotten into you?! You want me to stay here?" Jin nodded. "There's students gathered and looking up at something...we'll go see what's wrong." Rose said. Jin kept frantically shaking his head. "It's fine, big guy, it's fine...I'll stay here with you, okay? Just calm down..." Rin and Rose nervously went out to the courtyard, much to Jin's apparent dismay. "Alright, deep breaths, Jin...just text me what happened. I won't go look, I promise." Jin nervously typed out a message and sent it. When Tenko looked, her eyes widened.

Outside, Rin and Rose approached the crowd, and saw Hiyoko, Shūjo and Jugo. "Guys! What's going--" began Rin. Rose grabbed her uniform sleeve. "Rin--!" she uttered, a frightened look on her face. Rin looked up at what everyone was looking at. Her jaw dropped. The scene before her was as Jin stated in his message:

"HIBIKI IS DEAD."

Suspended from a window atop the administration building, hanging by a noose, was Hibiki's body. He was badly mangled, and bore a horrified expression.

"Holy shit--!" uttered Shūjo. "Is this...is this real, what we're looking at...?" asked a stunned Hiyoko. Soon, academy staff arrived to disperse the crowd of shocked students. Everyone was ordered to return to their dorms.

The group all gathered in Rin's dorm. "That was...oh, God." Jugo said. "Did...did we do that? Did he do that to himself out of regret...?" uttered a teary-eyed Rin. "No. I don't think so. Did you see the state of his body?" Rose replied. "Looked like he was ripped apart by an animal..." Hiyoko said. "Like we don't already know who's behind this." Shūjo sajd. They didn't even need to say the name. They knew.

"So what now?" Tenko asked. "I think...we should just sit down, take a deep breath, and try to dissect all of this. Doubt they're going to start classes up anytime soon." said Jugo. "I want you guys to stay here for the day. Please. I don't want anyone by themselves with that monster running around." said Rin. "Alright, sweets, alright. Just, I need to get my meds from my room. It'll only take a minute." Hiyoko said. "I'm going with." Shūjo insisted. The pair left.

When they reached Hiyoko's room, they saw something. There was a colorful box lying in front of the door. They paused. "Don't touch it..." Shūjo said. He dialed his phone. Rin answered. "Hey. There's a gift box in front of Hiyoko's room. It's addressed to her." "A box? Is it ticking?" "No...but...it smells. Like, really bad." Rin's heart sank. "Open it. Carefully."

Hiyoko slowly opened the box. She screeched. "Holy--" uttered Shūjo, before the call dropped. "Hello? JoJo?" Rin's heart started racing. The group all rushed out the door.

They arrived, and saw Hiyoko sitting against the wall, head buried in her arms, shaking. Shūjo was next to her, hand on his head, looking pale. Rin looked and saw the box, with a card on the ground. She knelt down and picked it up. "I-i-i-it's my...my..." Hiyoko stuttered. Rin read the card.

"Don't say I don't do anything nice for y'all! :-D"

Slowly, Rin looked over to the opened box. What she saw made her jump and fall over.

"I-i-it's my m-m-m-mother..."

Inside the box was the severed head of a woman. "Get the cops over here...right now!" Rin yelled. Jugo ran off.

Rin backed herself up to the wall, and as the police arrived, only sat in complete silence. One question repeated in her mind:

"What did I do to make Satan himself fall in love with me?"


	10. "Forgiveness, Forgiveness"

Hi, Papa.

I know it hasn't been long since the last letter, but this was something you needed to hear. Things have been...hectic, to say the least. The bodies just keep piling up. I feel like I'm no closer to catching Tohru's murderer than I was when I first arrived at the Academy. I can see it taking its toll on my friends. He's taken so much from us. Our sense of safety, Jin's voice, and now Hiyoko's mother. All the while acting like he's being helpful. It feels like the Devil himself is stalking me, Papa. I'm starting to think their belief is crumbling away by the day. Mama's planning on taking us all to the old cabin to spend the days before and after Christmas, just to get away from all this. Tan's going to man the shop while we're gone. I can see that Mama's worried about all of us. I am too.

But that's enough rambling. This isn't about Tohru's killer.

This is about yours.

I found him, Papa. I met the man who took your life today. And it was an experience I can't put into words, but I'll try my best.

This is how your murder book finally came to a close.

\---

DECEMBER 18, 2019

RIN'S HOUSE

Rin sat on the couch in her living room, looking despondent. It was the middle of the afternoon, but the bags under her eyes would lead one to believe it was the early morning. "Heeeeey, kiddo." Tan walked up and knelt down next to her, staring her down. Rin turned away. "Not in the mood, Tan." "Aw, c'mon. You never turn down a challenge from the Tan Man. Rin didn't respond. "Come on Rin-chan, don't get like this. The emo stuff really doesn't suit you." "What do you want me to do, Tan? Act like everything's OK after seeing two dead bodies in one day, because some evil freak decided to follow me around? I can't pretend anymore, Tan. It feels like I could get killed at any moment, or that he'll just pop in and hurt my friends. I don't know what to do..."

"Sis...when are ya gonna stop blaming yourself for all of this? You've been nothing but an angel your whole life. You can't control what some asshole decides to do. You were just unlucky that he set his sights on you. It could've easily been another girl. But I know you're strong enough to handle it. You can't break now, cuz that's what the sunuvabitch wants. I know it's horrible seeing this shit over and over again, but you can't let him convince you it's your fault. Got it?" With a smile, Rin nodded. "Yeah. I got it." "You got this, sis. And why does Rin-chan got this?" "Cuz Rin-chan is a happy girl." "Damn straight, she is." He playfully rubbed her head.

Then, a knock at the door. "Huh? Who could that be?" Rin asked. She went to open the door. Standing there was Hiyoko, a downtrodden look on her face. "Hey..." she said somberly. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" "Well, no...hey, Tan? Could you give us a minute?" "Oh yeah yeah, no problem. Papa always said, leave the ladies to their business if you don't want to get the business. Or something like that. Or maybe it was Will Smith..." he pondered to himself as he walked away.

Rin sat on the couch. "So, what's up? she asked. Hiyoko was looking at a series of family photos. "Hmmm. Your brother and your father resemble each other quite a bit in these pictures." "Huh? Oh, yeah. Everyone used to say that." "Except...the eyes. There is something about your brother's eyes...even if I didn't know the truth, I would suspect there was something dark behind that gaze..." She paused. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be disrespectful. Maybe this was a bad idea..." "No no no no, it's alright. I don't even know what it is you came here for."

"...how do you do it, Rin? How do you get up every morning, fully intending to bring justice for someone who treated you with such disdain? Even taking that into account, does it still cause you pain?" "Well...yeah, of course it does. For all his flaws, he was still my flesh and blood. I can't disrespect my entire family by just abandoning the whole thing." "'Flesh and blood'. As if that makes any difference..."

Rin paused. "This is about your mother, isn't it, Hiyoko?" Hiyoko paused. "Why...why do I still feel this way? She abused me, neglected me and abandoned me to die alone in a gutter. I shouldn't feel anything towards her, flesh and blood be damned. But...seeing her in that box...I'd seen a dead body just moments earlier, but that shook me more than anything else. Why...I shouldn't feel anything resembling sorrow at this. I shouldn't feel anything at all...so why...can you explain it to me, Rin? Why my heart hurts for someone who hurt me so badly?"

Rin didn't know how to respond. She sighed, and closed her eyes. "I'm thankful that my mom isn't here right now, because she wouldn't like what I'm about to say. The truth is, Tohru was not a good person. He was egotistical, he looked down on everyone around him, and he hated practically everything about me. My personality, my interests, my appearance. He couldn't stand the thought that I could act so carefree and achieve better results than him. There were times growing up where he'd throw dirt or mud or soot on my hair because he knew how much I loved the color. I think that's the real reason I ended up changing my hair color around when his spirit entered my heart. This, right here, represents everything he resented about me as a person. And even as I tried to find his murderer, even after he'd passed, he tried to hurt me, and make me as aggressive and resentful as he was. Do you understand how confusing all of this was? My father was a laid back business-minded man. My mother is as easy-going as they come. Me and Tan both take after our parents. I can't understand why Tohru was the way that he was."

"And even after taking all of it into account...I still can't let this go. Even after everything that's happened because of it. As awful as his attitude was, he was still my brother. He didn't deserve to die that way. And I think in your heart, you feel the same way. No matter how much you resented your mother, you can't stand the idea of her being mutilated like that. I know you can't understand it. I can't either. The heart is so complex, that trying to figure out why we feel a certain way would be impossible. I'm sorry I can't give you more than words. All I can say is: don't ignore what your heart is telling you. That'll just lead to more heartache. You mourn who you want to. I won't judge you for how you feel, because I understand better than anyone how painful it is..."

Hiyoko was tearing up at this point. Rin was, too. "What did we do to deserve this kind of pain, Rin?" "I...I wish I knew." They tearfully embraced.

They took a few minutes to compose themselves. "That was unsightly." Hiyoko said. "Don't be embarrassed. Everyone needs to have a good cry when they're holding something in. Nothing to be ashamed of." Rin replied. Another knock at the door. Rin went to go answer it. She returned holding a single envelope. "Not much from Mr. Mailman today. Huh?" "What's the matter, Rin?" "Hey, Tan!" Tan rushed over. "Yo." "You still got friends on the inside? This letter just came in from Karakura Maximum Security." "Well it ain't for me. It's addressed to the whole family. I never even stepped foot near maximum security..."

Rin opened the letter. She read through it quietly. "What's it say?" Tan asked. Rin's hands began to shake. "This...this is..." She nervously read the contents.

"To the members of the Kubo household,

My name is Seinosuke Yoshihito, and I am currently incarcerated in the Karakura Maximum Security Penitentiary. I am 22 years of age, but my life as a free man is over, after I was convicted of numerous counts of grand theft spanning the last 5 years. My reason for sending you all this letter is that there is one crime I have yet to be convicted of. With my life imprisonment already assured, there isn't any reason for me to take this secret to my grave.

On the 22nd of September, 2011, at the age of 14, I attempted to rob a small produce store at gunpoint. Your store. And this attempt ended with the death of your patriarch, Kaito Kubo, by my hands. I have been thinking about that moment ever since then, but unfortunately it was not enough to curb my illegal behavior. My conscience has been screaming at me to make amends ever since my sentence began.

The image that's been frozen in my mind was of a little girl kneeling next to the body of the man I had murdered. I never even considered the consequences of my actions going in, but that girl's confused face spoke to me. She was asking me 'why' without even saying a word. I've spent the last eight years trying to find a good enough answer, but I have none. All I have is one request, to put all of this pain to rest once and for all. I want to meet with that little girl. I want to apologize to her face. I don't care if she despises me for what I've done, I deserve every ounce of scorn. But I need to atone, and to know what the lasting consequences of my selfish actions are.

Please understand, I know this must drudge up horrible memories for you all, and I'm sorry. But you deserve to know the truth. I have nothing to gain from this. If I can give you all even the tiniest sense of closure, then that's what I'll do.

I am so, so sorry. For everything. --Seinosuke Yoshihito

\---

Hana arrived home about an hour later. Rin gave her the letter. She read it silently. "I...I don't believe it...this can't he a trick, can it?" "I don't think so, Mama. It's officially marked by the prison." Rin said. "It's gotta be some fucked-up trick. Now all of a sudden he feels bad about killing Pops? Yeah, his conscience finally kicked in now that he's been caught, are you kidding me?" Tan argued. "He named Papa in the letter. He knew it was a produce shop and he gave the exact date. That can't be faked." Rin said back. "It's a trick. For all we know it's that murdering red bastard screwing with you again. Soon as you walk into that prison, BAM. Game over. I ain't buying it."

Hana paused to think. "What do you think we should do, Rin-chan?" "I...I'm gonna go. I have to. If this is real, this can finally put an end to the long nightmare. One of them, at least. I have to know why. I have to see his face, and tell him exactly what he's done. If you think it's too difficult, I'll go by myself. He asked for me, anyway." Tan grumbled. "Okay, alright, fine. Little Sis knows what she's talking about." he relented. "Alright. I'm gonna buy a ticket for the train right now. I'll try for tomorrow morning. As for setting up a meeting..."

"Tan, do you still have Ms. Kagetora's number?" "Huh? Oh, yeah. Lemme go find her card..." He went off. "Um, excuse me..." Hiyoko piped up. "Did you just say 'Ms. Kagetora'?" "Yeah. Umihime Kagetora. She was Tan's defense attorney, helped get his sentence lowered. She's as no-nonsense as they come. She can help us out." "I see...just wondering..." Rin looked at Hiyoko curiously, but said nothing. "Anyway, I hate to be a burden, but would you all mind if I stayed the night? It's getting rather late, and I'm not really comfortable walking home by myself..." "Oh, don't even give it a second thought, dear. Of course you can stay. You can just borrow some of Rin-chan's clothes if you need them." Hana answered. "Is that alright, Rin?" "You even need to ask? You guys are welcome here whenever. And I can feel my mom melting when she doesn't have company over." Hana playfully elbowed Rin. "Thank you. I'll try not to be a hassle."

Rin went online and bought a train ticket. First thing in the morning. She went to bed, knowing fully well that she likely wouldn't be able to fall asleep.

\---

DECEMBER 19, 2019

Rin got out of bed early. She prepared herself, and went downstairs. Hiyoko was sitting on the couch. "Good morning. Ready to go?" "Huh? Why are you up and dressed already?" "I'm going with you, of course." "Hiyoko, you don't have to, I'll be fine--" "You're not going by yourself. You should know by now how dangerous that would be. I went ahead and bought myself a ticket. If this goes the way I think it will, then you need a friend's support on this. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on. I'm going, and that's that." She gave Rin a stern gaze, like a queen would give to her subjects, or the kind a mother would give to an unruly child. "Alright, fine, fine! Stop giving me that angry mom look! We might have to stay an extra day depending on how it goes. You OK with that?" "I am. Something tells me what we'll find will take more than one day to process." Rin pondered why Hiyoko was being so ominous. "Well anywho, let's get a move on." The girls departed.

About an hour later, the girls were on the train, sitting across from each other. "Hey, so about earlier..." Hiyoko began. "This attorney, this Ms. Kagetora...would she be related to Jūzo Kagetora, by any chance?" Rin pondered the question. She had heard that name before. Jūzo Kagetora was a disgraced former prosecutor who had his illegal dealings exposed and had fled the country years before. "If I remember correctly, Ms. Kagetora is his twin sister." Hiyoko paused. "How interesting...you say she is a woman of morals, yes? Given her relation, can she really be trusted?" "Oh, one-thousand percent. Even though they're twins, they couldn't be any more different. Ms. Kagetora took good care of us. Tan might still be in jail for a good while if she hadn't gotten him a deal." "Well, if you trust her, then I have no reason to doubt."

"It just gives you pause. Jūzo Kagetora was as ruthless as they come. There's a reason they labelled him a 'demon prosecutor'. But then the reports of bribes and falsified evidence came out. Not to mention all of the affairs. From a man representing the law, it's positively disgraceful." Rin looked at her curiously. "What about this whole thing's making you so nervous?" "I'm...I'm not nervous. It was just such a huge scandal when it happened. The name just jumped out, that's all." Hiyoko didn't make eye contact when she said this. Rin knew she was hiding something, but didn't press further.

Two young men walked past. "Well, isn't this a coincidence." one said. "Oh, Yūji-senpai! And Kamiya-kun! What're you guys doing here?" Rin asked. "There was an order mix-up. Some of our product got delivered to Karakura by mistake. Instead of waiting for delivery, we're going to go pick it up ourselves." "Even if it's a bit of a long trip?" "Hey, long trips aren't a problem. Just gotta train your mind for them!" Kamiya exclaimed. "Please, man, you are hopeless..." Yūji groaned, a hand to his face. "Anyway, what are you two doing here? Sightseeing? Odd that it would just be you two." "Oh, I had some errands to run in Karakura. Didn't want to come alone, and Hiyoko volunteered." Rin explained. "Hmm. Fair enough. Well, you ladies keep yourselves safe. We'll be seeing you." The boys moved along. "Think that was too vague?" Rin asked. "It got the job done. No complaints here." Hiyoko answered.

The train reached the station shortly after. The girls took a bus, and eventually reached the Kagetora law office. Hiyoko was quiet. "You feeling alright?" Rin asked. "I'm OK. I need to give JoJo a call. You go on, I'll be along in a minute." Rin gave a skeptical glance, but went on inside. Hiyoko swallowed.

Inside the office, a bespectacled woman with dark hair tied up in a bun sat at a computer. "Oh, Ms. Kubo, there you are. I was just wondering when you'd be getting here. Please, have a seat. How's the family doing?" "They're doing very well, Ms. Kagetora. Tan's taken over the shop so my mom can open her flower shop. He's kept out of trouble. It's all been going good." "Great to hear. I was surprised to get your call. I'd thought Tan had slipped up. But you're saying a prisoner sent you a letter confessing to your father's murder?" "Yeah. It's insane. I wanted your advice on how to go about thi--"

The door opened strongly. Hiyoko stood at the entrance. "I'm sorry to burst in like this. You are Jūzo Kagetora's sister, yes?" "Hiyoko, what's wrong?" asked a surprised Rin. "A friend of yours, I assume? Well to answer your question, yes, I am. Who wants to know?" "I'm so sorry. My name is Hiyoko Ta--no. I refuse to use that woman's surname any further."

"My name is Hiyoko Kagetora. I've done my own investigating. And I've come to the conclusion that your brother...is my father."

Umihime raised an eyebrow. Rin's jaw dropped. "Whaaaaaat?!" she exclaimed.

\---

Hiyoko sat across from Umihime. "I don't doubt the sincerity in your words, young lady. But that's a rather bold claim to make. What proof do you have, exactly?" "Hmm, right. I forgot I was speaking to an attorney. I have my proof right here." Hiyoko took out a series of papers from her purse, and handed them to Umihime.

"When I was five years old...I recall peering through a crack in the door and seeing my mother arguing with a dark-haired man. His eyes...they were filled with fire and brimstone. His rage was great. All I can remember about their argument was that she apparently had something of his. I don't remember anything else. And I never really thought about it again until about three years ago. I had long since been separated from my mother, and I was watching a news report. There, flashing on the screen, was the man I had seen arguing with my mother. They said he was Jūzo Kagetora, and that he was a prosecutor wanted for numerous illegal acts. He'd been arrested, but he managed to orchestrate his escape by bribing the guards. They described him as a 'demon prosecutor'. Now, my mother never really spoke about my father, only that she saw him as being the Devil himself. I started to get suspicious."

"The family I was living with had...connections. I wanted to know for certain who my father was, and requested that they search the criminal DNA database. For anyone this would have taken weeks, even months, but they were able to get it done within a few days. They'd found a hit. But by then, I had had second thoughts. I was satisfied with my family situation, and so I never opened the test results. I left them tucked away...until last week. With my mother's death, my curiosity about my father was reignited. So I opened the test results, and when I did, my suspicions were confirmed. The face I'd expected to see, those fire and brimstone eyes, were staring back at me. And the name on the results was..."

"Jūzo Kagetora." Umihime finished the thought. "99.9% positive DNA match. I would say this was inconceivable, but I know my brother better than anyone. My only surprise is that it hadn't come up sooner. His affairs weren't a secret, and it'd crossed my mind that he could have children running around. But still...this isn't what I expected to get from this meeting." "You're telling me." said a stunned Rin. "I'm so sorry, Rin. I know what you're here for, but...all the talk about your father, and you mentioning a lawyer named Kagetora...I couldn't let it go. It couldn't be a coincidence. My mind's been racing for weeks about any family I might have. My mother didn't have any relatives that I knew about. If this could be a branch to the father I never knew, I wanted to take it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I feel like this is so selfish..." Hiyoko explained. "You don't need to apologize. I'm not angry. I'm just...stunned." Rin answered.

Hiyoko turned to leave. "I've made a fool of myself enough. Good luck, Rin. And I'm sorry again, Ms. Kagetora. I don't know what I was thinking, coming here..." "Wait a second." Umihime got up. She bowed. "On behalf of my brother, I want to extend my deepest apologies. I'd thought he was done smearing my family's name, but to hear that he'd left his own child to fend for herself, is nothing short of disgraceful. I wish I could tell you where he was so you could confront him, but it's something I'd like to know myself. All I can offer you is my apology for any wrongs you've suffered from this." "M-Ms. Kagetora..." "Please, no need to be so formal. I know we've only just met, but you can address me as your aunt, if you so choose. Certainly don't need to address me by a last name you've chosen to take on." "Y-yes, you're right. I hope you don't mind that. Even after what's happened with my mother, I can't stand having to bear her surname. Even if he's no better..." "I understand. You take it on if you want to. In fact, I'd love nothing more than for you to succeed in life bearing that name. As much trouble as my brother's caused, I'd like for some good to come from his misdeeds. You seem like you have a good head on your shoulders. I'd have no problem with you helping to make amends." Hiyoko smiled. "Thank you. That means the world to me. I just want to sit and process all this for a second. Sorry again, Rin. You can resume. I won't interrupt."

"Well, moving on from that...enlightening topic, what exactly did you want to do about this letter?" "Well, I wanted to speak to him, face-to-face. I don't know why he's confessing now. I have about a million questions. I don't even know who he is." "What did you say his name was?" "He said he was Seinosuke Yoshihito. Said he was in jail for grand theft." "Yoshihito, huh...that does sound familiar." She looked through her computer. "Oh, this guy. A repeat offender, from the looks of it. 100-plus years for multiple counts of grand theft. Only 22 years old. What a waste." "He was only 14 when he shot my dad...what would make someone that young do something like that?" "Could be a number of reasons. Might've just been a stupid teenager being stupid. Only he knows why he did it." "Would there be a trial?" "At this point, I doubt it. Even if he wasn't forthcoming, he's already effectively serving a life sentence. I wouldn't even think about that unless you spoke with him. I can call them right now and set up a meeting. Hopefully for tomorrow. Whatever procedures we'd have to go through, depends on how it goes. Are you 100% sure you want to do this?" "Yes, I am. Eight years of waiting is eight years too long. I need to see for myself. And for God's sake, I'm in need of a win..."

"Well, I'm going to make that call. You ladies feel free to decompress. You're welcome to stay at my apartment overnight, if need be. There's...plenty for us to discuss later."

\---

LATER THAT NIGHT

Hiyoko sat at the kitchen table, sipping tea. Rin was already fast asleep on the couch. A black-and-white cat was curled up asleep on top of her. "That girl is some kind of miracle worker." Umihime walked over and sat down. "Himiko usually can't stand people other than me. But she cuddled up to her without any fuss." "Well, Rin has mentioned that she has an effect on cats..." "I'm starting to see that she has an effect on several things." "What do you mean?" "Well, think about it. The sister of one of my clients just happens to be friends with a girl who in reality is my niece? And said niece manages to be in the room to hear my last name? Do you realize how insanely coincidental all of this is?" "I guess you're right. The way I see it, she has something of a magnetic aura about her. Like the moment you meet her, you just want to help her out. I think what it is, is that she attracts the right people to her. And she makes sure they're where they need to be. If that makes any sense."

"Well, I can certainly agree with wanting to help her out. When I was representing her brother, I was trying to bring the whole family as much peace as I could. The mother put on such a brave face, and then there was this girl who put on a smile to mask the weight on her shoulders. Between the one brother going to jail, and then there was the other brother...with that look in his eyes. I'd only encountered him twice, but there was just something...not right in his eyes. But getting past that, I knew these were people who just needed to be helped. Especially after the other brother passed last year. I just had this feeling that this was something I needed to keep myself involved with. I just didn't expect that I'd get a niece out of it."

"Niece...there's something to get used to." Hiyoko mused. "Ah, that's right. You said you've been staying with another family all this time, right?" "That's right..." Hiyoko thought for a moment. Maybe telling her attorney aunt about her adopted family of former yakuza wasn't the best idea, at least this early on. "I was lucky. The family that took me in was very well-off. I could have the treatment I needed without any problems. If JoJo hadn't been at the docks that day, I might not have made it very long." "I assume this JoJo is very special to you?" "W-what makes you say that?" "Sweetheart, I've been trained to notice changes in someone's eyes, and yours just lit up from talking about him." "Well...I can't deny that. He's a bit of a surly one on the outside, but he's never left me during any hospital stay. I know how he feels about me, even if getting him to admit it takes more effort than pulling teeth." "Hrm. Unsurprising. Thick-headedness isn't exactly uncommon in boys that age."

"The one thing, though...I don't think either of us would've admitted our feelings if it wasn't for...her prodding." She glanced towards Rin. "This girl just wants all of us to be as happy as she is. I'm never not astounded by her. All of the pain, all of the death, and yet she can still muster the strength to smile. This quest has already taken so much. The man who murdered her brother has already taken three other lives, including my mother's. He attacked one of our friends and rendered him mute. And yet, that's just strengthened our resolve to help her. We can't just abandon her when she needs us most. Not after she's given us more than we've lost. I mean, she's led me here..."

Umihime smirked. "I can see that this girl's special to a lot of people. I hope she can find some peace tomorrow. At the very least, to get some weight off of those tired shoulders..."

\---

DECEMBER 20, 2019

KARAKURA MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON

Rin sat in the lobby, as Umihime spoke with the receptionist. Rin rubbed her knees. "It's going to be alright." Hiyoko reassured. "If he ends up being difficult, we could always take a side trip into his soul..." She winked as she said it. Rin gave a sheepish grin. "Hopefully, that's not necessary..." she said. Umihime walked over. "Alright. The guards are going to escort you. It's just going to be him, no other inmates around, but he'll be in a cell. They've been having...issues with him lately. If it goes south, the guards'll be right there. You ready for this?" Rin took a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready." She got up, and went with the guards.

They took her to an isolated room, with a single cell in the corner. Rin expected a monster to be in that cell. The kind of merciless animal that would shoot a man dead with little provocation. But that isn't what was there.

What sat huddled in the corner of that cell, head down, hand to his face, was a skinny, miserable-looking young man with unkempt dark brown hair. Rin walked over to the cell. "Are you Seinosuke Yoshihito?" she asked firmly. He slowly raised his head up. Looking up at Rin were a pair of the most despair-filled eyes she'd seen, accented by the blackened marks underneath them. This was the kind of inmate other inmates would eat alive. She nearly felt sorry for him, before remembering what she was there for.

"You're...you're that girl, from back then..." he said in a low voice. "I have a name. My name is Ringo Kubo. Kaito Kubo was my father. The man you killed." He pondered for a moment. "I'm happy that you finally came...I was worried that my letter wouldn't get to you..." "Cut the pleasantries. You know what I'm here for."

"...what happened to your arms?" he asked weakly. "You really want to know? Despair, that's what. My brother died last year, and between everything else, starting with what you did, my mind got to a dark place. And I did something I regret every single day when I wake up." "...I'm sorry...you have my condolences, whatever they're worth..." "What did you pull me here for, exactly? To just creepily rub it in that you killed my father? If that's really it, then I'm gonna take my leave. Have a nice life." "Wait! Wait...please...I need you to understand why it happened the way it did. Please...I understand your anger..." "What could you possibly understand about how I'm feeling?"

"Your anger tells me that your father meant a lot to you...he must have been very kind to you." "What's that got to do with anything?" "I'm saying...you were lucky. My father...is more or less the reason I'm in here..." "Really, now? A murderer with daddy issues, what a shock." "Please, listen...nine times out of ten, a boy's strongest influence will come from their father. And my father was as deplorable a man as they come...he terrorized the Karakura market district for years. And when I turned 10, he started to train me to be his partner...he told me that getting in and out as quickly as possible was of upmost importance."

"My father was a criminal for the simplist reason of all: he was greedy. The thing that still haunts my mind is the last words your father said: that I probably had more money than he did. I know he was trying to diffuse the situation, but...he was right. My father kept so much money underneath his mattress that I wondered why he kept going out for more. It was greed...pure and simple."

Rin stayed silent. "Why did you kill my father?" she finally asked. "...I wasn't as greedy as my father. But I can't deny the thrill that came with getting away with things...and I kept telling myself that there was a greater reason for doing this. And eight years ago, that purpose became clear...I have a little brother. He's about your age, actually. And eight years ago, he was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. The kind where doctors could keep him alive for a while, but eventually it would require more expensive care than any normal person could possibly afford. That day I came to your shop, the next medical bill was due. I was desperate, anxious. I had had shopkeeps trying to hold me off, but this day was the wrong day for it...and in my growing frustration, I made the worst decision of my life..."

He had started to tear up. "And it was never enough for my father...he had enough money stashed away to pay for years of treatments, but only provided just enough for that month, then cried poor when we asked...Meanwhile, I had the image of you kneeling beside your father frozen in my mind for years. But I had to keep going...I had to keep my brother alive...then, last year, everything changed..."

"My father made a mistake. The police had us cornered, and there was no feasible escape. They weren't going to take him alive...so he took the coward's way out...ran up to the police with a gun drawn, and, well...you can imagine what happened next. I surrendered immediately after. My father was dead. After all the wrongs I'd committed, I considered it karma...and then it just kept coming..."

"The police confiscated all of his hidden funds...my family was left destitute...the medical and legal bills were devastating. And then, last week, I received the news I'd been dreading...my brother had passed. And here I sat, in a cell for the rest of my days...and I knew this was the universe punishing me for everything. I had committed murder in the name of keeping my brother alive, and in the end...it meant nothing. Countless lives destroyed, for nothing."

Rin was speechless. "I don't demand your forgiveness, Ms. Kubo, nor do I expect it. I needed you to hear the truth, to understand my reasoning, and then...then I needed you to witness my atonement." "Your...atonement?" "I have nothing left to live for...and I have no further right to live. My only destiny now is to rot away in here, to incur beatings from the inmates in here. And so...I'm going...to...!"

Suddenly, a sharpened stick emerged from underneath his sleeve. He brought it towards his neck, and then...

"STOP IT!"

He stopped. He looked up at Rin. She was shaking, fists clenched. "Do you have any idea...how stupid you sound right now? Over the past year...I've had to look at four dead bodies. Four. All of them murdered, all by the same person. After all of that, and knowing what I saw eight years ago..." She looked up, tears streaming from her eyes. "Don't you think I've seen enough needless death for one lifetime?"

"I've spent the last eight years wondering why...why my father had to die. I thought hearing the answer would fix everything, would make all the pain disappear...but I feel even emptier than I ever have. Knowing everything, that even more death came out of this...I'm just so lost...and you want to sit there and tell me that you dying in front of me would make it all okay? That somehow, another needless death would fix everything?"

"I can't...I can't forget what you did to my father. That can never be forgotten. I'm sorry, for what happened to your brother. I know how hurtful it must be. Did your brother love you for helping him?" "...yes...of course he did..." "Well, that must feel horrible...you lost a brother that loved you. I...don't know how that feels." Seinosuke was silent.

"Are you really sorry for killing my father?" "...yes." "And do you really want to atone for killing him?" "Yes." "Then live. Accept the punishment for what you did. You beat death...by living. Live in honor of the people you lost. And live in honor of my father. Tell me again that you're sorry for killing him." "I'm...I'm sorry. I'm sorry that...that I killed your father." "Okay. I believe you. And I forgive you. That's all I wanted to hear." She turned to leave. "Thank you for your honesty. And whatever you can do in this life to atone, please do it. But in this life. For my father, and for my family. Please." "I...I will. Thank you, Ms. Kubo." She walked away.

\---

LATER THAT AFTERNOON

The girls stood at the train station. "Thank you for everything, Ms. Kagetora." Rin said. "Oh, don't even mention it. Bringing resolution is what a lawyer does best. It's all part of the job. You girls have a safe trip back, hear?" "We will. Thank you au--aunt Umi." Hiyoko said with a hint of nervousness. "Haha. I'm going to need to get used to that. Listen, don't be a stranger. I'm going to tell the rest of the family about you. They'll be glad that at least some good came from Jūzo's antics. Come back soon, okay?" "Y-yes, of course..." Hiyoko began to turn red, before promptly giving her aunt a hug. She quickly let go, and gave a respectful bow. "S-see you around, auntie..." She walked towards the train. "Well, that was...something." Umihime mused.

"Hey, before you go...how much do you know about this Reaper person?" "Well...outside of him being in the academy's junior class, not a whole lot. The guy's a pro at keeping his secret." Rin answered. "Hrmm. Well, I would like to help out however I can. If you could get me a listing of the entire junior class, I could start digging. Give you a heads up if anything's suspicious. Put those detective skills to good use. That sort of thing." "Are you sure about this? If he finds out, it could spell big trouble. He's got a way of finding out things like this..." "Well, if what you say is true, then he's doing all this as some twisted way of helping you. Hurting me wouldn't fly with that." "Well, if you're really sure...then I'd really appreciate any help. Honestly, with everything else going on, looking into his identity's been easier said than done. If you could find anything, that'd be a huge help."

Rin bid Umihime farewell, and boarded the train. On the way back, she began to write in her journal. She had looked the man who had killed her father in the face, and told him she forgave him. She had stopped another meaningless death from happening. After eight years, she could finally say she had something akin to closure.

For once, it had ended without bloodshed. She smiled, and before she knew it, the train made it to Naruki City. Christmas was around the corner. And now, she had something to feel joyous about.

\---

ELSEWHERE

The young man in the red hood kicked open the door. He opened the door to his closet. "You been keeping good, Dad?" He stared at a skeleton lying in the closet. "Sheesh. Don't be such a chatterbox."

He went over to his bedroom. "Time to check in with the bossman, I guess." He pried open a hole to Tartarus, and peered inside. "Yo. Still just hanging around, I see...yeah, I know. Not my fault those preppy dweebs didn't want to play ball. I've got the feeling ol' Ishimaru's not gonna be far behind...yeah, just gotta keep him thinking he's in control. Long as Rinnie sticks to the script, we'll be set."

"Yeah...won't be long now. Everyone's gonna be getting what's coming to 'em. So just sit tight. You'll get what you want soon, and I'll get what I want. It'll all work out..." He shut the portal.

"...oh, shut up, Dad. I'm not getting worse. This is me at equilibrium. I'm righter than rain, right now. You'll see. We're gonna change the world, boss man and me. Ask me again then, how crazy I am. You've got a ton of nerve talking like that, Mr. Sitsinclosetallday."

He removed his hoodie, though his face remained shrouded. He had what appeared to be severe burn marks on his back. "You got no room to criticize. Chicks dig scars, after all. Heard they're not fans of bony fingers, though..." He began to cackle.

On his wall were numerous photos containing Rin, all of them with her face circled. Among the photos, there was a calendar labelled "2008", with the date of August 19 circled in red crayon. Pinned next to that, was a scrap of notebook paper. A messy-looking message, written in red crayon, read "Today I met a princess. Her name is Rin, and she's really pretty--" It cut off after that.

The cackling continued.


	11. "Winter's Masquerade"

DECEMBER 23, 2019

MT. SHIRAYUKI MOUNTAIN RESORT

"Ahhhh, there's nothing like that crisp mountain air to help cleanse the weary soul~." Rin mused. She stood in front of a large wooden cabin, surrounded by a blanket of snow. She silently took it all in...only to be interrupted by the sound of chewing. She turned around, and Jin and Tenko were standing there, Jin eating from a bag of Hi-Chews. "Do you have to eat those so loud?" Rin asked. Jin stopped, and then sheepishly offered her one. She rolled her eyes, but took one.

"Oh, hang on, we didn't show Rin-Rin yet, did we?" Tenko said. "Hm? Show me what?" Jin took out a tablet from his bag, and hung it around his neck. He put a seperate, smaller device in his ear. Then...

"Testing...testing...this thing working?" A voice came from the tablet. "Woof, good. Would've been embarassing if I just stood here like a dummie." Rin was stunned. "Jin? Is that...you talking?" she asked. "Yep, it is! Early Christmas gift from yours truly. I asked Shinji from the café if he had any ideas, and he said he could figure something out. That thing in Jin's ear can read his brain and transmit it to the tablet." Tenko explained. "That's...that's incredible. How is this even possible?" Rin asked. "A cyber prodigy and the wonders of technology. There's still a few kinks to work out. It eats up battery like nothing else, and there's still no option to change the voice or anything like that. But...that's minor stuff. Point is, I can talk again. No more having to mime everything out. Guess this is what they call a Christmas miracle." "I...wow. This is amazing, big guy! I'm seriously thrilled for you." Rin said. Tenko but her arm on Jin's shoulder. "Now, how about that puppy for your amazing girlfriend, hm~?" she asked cheekily. "Guess I have no choice now, huh?" Jin answered.

"Shoot, and speaking of eating up the battery, it's already down to the red. I'm gonna go find an outlet." Jin went into the cabin. "Tenko, I'm...I'm stunned. The mind-scanning stuff...it's just going over my head." Rin said. "Well, look at it this way. We use spirits to fight the inner shadows of people, and we use a phone to do it. I don't think mind-reading tech is that farfetched." Tenko answered. "I guess you're right...but why wouldn't Shinji try getting a buyer for it?" "Well, it's still a prototype. There's a few features he's still developing. And, he's not exactly jumping at the possibility of handing government suits the power to read someone's mind. As he put it, 'I'd like for this to actually help someone before the government does what governments do and ruin everything.'" "Fair enough. Still, this has to be so relieving for you." "Oh, God, you have no idea. Never thought sitting there in that hospital room that we'd ever get to this point. And..." She put her fingers together, and started blushing. "When he finally got to talking, I heard those 3 words I hadn't heard in months..." Shūjo walked by. "'What's for dinner'?" he interjected. Tenko stuck her leg out in front of him, tripping him. "ANYwho, shall we take a look at our humble abode for the next week-and-a-half?" Tenko said, a tinge of annoyance in her voice. "Uh, y-yeah..." said a nervous Rin.

The cabin was more akin to a penthouse, more suitable to housing a larger group. "Smart on your mom to upgrade to a bigger place. Otherwise we might all be sharing beds." Tenko said. "I would've sooner slept on the floor." said Jugo, sitting on the couch. "For real. Three teenage boys sharing a bed's a recipe for really bad fanfiction. Plus I hear JoJo's a bedwetter." added Jin, his tablet plugged into a wall outlet. "Keep talking and I'll sell your goddamn organs, dude." Shūjo griped as he walked through, quickly going to another room. "He's very ashamed." Jin said.

"OK, team, what's first on the to-do list?" Rin asked. "I know what I'm voting for..." Hiyoko responded. She handed Rin a pamphlet. "They have an onsen?" Rin asked. "They have an onsen. I've been craving a bath in one for a while." Hiyoko answered. "Hell to the yes! Haven't been to one in ages!" Tenko expressed. "I think we could all use the trip. If anyone needed to diffuse some stress..." Jugo added. "What about you, Rose? Feel like a dip in a hot spring?" Rin asked. "I'm up for it. I've yet to visit one in my time here." Rose answered. "Welp, that settles it. I'll go let my mom know we're headed out. This is gonna be fun~!" Rin chimed.

A little while later, at the bath house, Rose emerged from a changing room wearing only a white towel. The other girls were there, also in towels. "All set, girlie?" Hiyoko asked. "I guess..." Rose sheepishly answered. "Don't worry so much. It's just gonna be us girls in there. Trust me, once you get in the water all your troubles'll just vanish." Tenko added. The girls walked into the spring area, but Rin stopped to look at the sign near the entrance. "Huh? Wait a sec--" "EEEEEEK!"

"C-communal bathing?!"

The girls stood in shock. Sitting in the other end of the bath were Shūjo, Jin and Jugo. "'Sup?" Shūjo uttered. "Don't you 'sup' me, what the hell are you all doing in there?!" Tenko demanded. "Ummm, bathing? The kinda thing you do in an onsen?" "I mean what the hell are you doing in there now?!" Rin walked in. "Ummm, about that...it's a communal bath..." "Oh, you've GOT to be joking!" Tenko grumbled. "I mean, it's a big pool...it shouldn't really be a problem..." Hiyoko argued. "But still, we'll be in there with them...and they're basically na--" Rose began. "Leeeeet's not think about that. Let's just get in the bath and forget allll our troubles." Rin interrupted. Tenko sighed. "Ugggggh."

The girls got in the bath, but clustered together on the opposite end as the boys, staring right at them. "See? Totally...relaxing...no stress at all." Rin said, trying to diffuse the tension. Tenko glared right at Shūjo. "You keep staring at me like that, I'm gonna have to marry ya. And I can count five people here who'd have a problem with that." Shūjo joked. "Seriously, we're not gonna just break into a raping frenzy here, so just cool it, would ya?" "Oh, I'm not concerned about 2/3rds of you all. It's the sneering joker in the middle I'm worried about." "Oh, come on. I'm sitting right next to your boyfriend, you're sitting next to my girlfriend. Even if I wanted to do something sketchy, I'd never get away with it. I'm staying put, see?" "Keep it that way."

"Uh, anyway..." Rin interjected. "The spring's nice and warm today, right ladies?" "Uh-huh. Perfect cure for the aches and pains." Hiyoko answered. "It's as you say, Rin. It feels like the stress is just eroding from my mind." Rose added. "Guess you're right. Hard to stay angry with this kind of warm feeling." Tenko said. "Oh, you'd know all about warm feelings, eh?" Tenko looked next to her, and there was Shūjo, sneering. "MOTHERFU--" She jumped. He laughed. "Sorry, had to get one in. Don't kill me, I'm headed ba--hold up. Where'd Jin head off to...?" Jugo motioned to his left.

Jin stood up against the spring's fencing, eating from a bag of Hi-Chews. Hanging from the fence was a towel. "Jin...? How the hell'd you move without me hearing? And whose towel is that...?" Shūjo looked down, then came to a horrifying realization. "Sunuva...!" "GOOD GRIEF, HE'S NAKED!" Tenko shouted, leaping out of the bath. "Oh, dear." Hiyoko piped, quickly turning red. Jugo burst out laughing. "Serves you right, Rico Suave!" he said. "Tch. Guess this is payback for that time at the beach, huh? What a pain...guess there's only one thing to do..."

Shūjo began to pull himself out of the pool. "OH DEAR GOD, NO!" Tenko shouted, running and hiding behind a nearby rock. Jin blinked twice, before walking away with a stunned look on his face. Rin quickly covered Rose's eyes. Shūjo walked over, grabbed his towel and put it back on. "Buncha drama queens. Actin' like you've never seen a dude's junk before." "JOJO JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET BACK IN THE POOL, SO HELP ME GOD!" Tenko griped.

Everyone returned to the spring, and spent the rest of their time in it in complete silence.

\---

A short while later, the girls convened in a seperate room. "Well...that was eventful, wasn't it girls?" Rin asked. "You could say that..." Tenko said blankly, her face still red. "Oh, come on. It wasn't that disastrous, was it?" "Disastrous, shambolic...take your dick--PICK!" Hiyoko said, promptly turning red with embarrassment. Rin tried to laugh it off. Think, Rin-chan, think! Gotta be some way to salvage this...I've got it!, she thought.

"Hey, I heard there's a nightclub nearby...they've got karaoke, and I hear their sake's pretty legit. Maybe we could diffuse there, and not think about anyone's...family secrets." Rin suggested. "That sounds like a fine idea. Wouldn't you say, Tenko?" asked Hiyoko. "Welp. Can't say no to sake, now can I?" Tenko responded. "That's right. Won't have to think about jewels of the family variety for the rest of the night." Hiyoko added. "Just think, Hiyoko. Someday all that's gonna be yours." Tenko said, and Hiyoko started to turn red again.

\---

The group arrived at the nightclub. "Alright, I'll go grab us some drinks. C'mon, Rose." said Rin. They approached the bar. "What do you guys got that's non-alcoholic?" Rin asked. "Um, Rin..." Rose spoke. She pointed to a picture on the wall. It was Tenko, and it included a caption: "If you see this girl, she isn't kidding." "It would seem her reputation precedes her..." said Rose. "W-well, I don't think we need to worry about any shenanigans tonight..." Rin said in a way that made it seem like she didn't entirely believe it.

Shortly after, the group sat down. Rose took a sip, and began giggling to herself. "Oh my...this is pretty gooood." she uttered. "Um, Rose? Are you feeling alright?" Hiyoko asked. "Ah, don't worry about her. It's nan-alcahalic..." Tenko slurred. "Do we have the money for this?" Jugo asked. "Don't worry about it. It's all included in our package. We're covered." Rin answered.

"YEEHAW! We're gonna drink this place dry, eh JoJo?!" Jin exclaimed. Shūjo turned away with a groan. Jin plopped his arm on top of him. "Hey, that stage's callin' our name, bruh. Howzabout we do some robo-karoake, you and me?" Shūjo pushed him away. "BUZZ OFF! I ain't doin' that shit!" he exclaimed. Jin was blushing at this point. "Uggh, you're such a jerk, JoJo. Hm? JoJo...jerk...that's it! I'm calling you JerkJerk now!" He started giggling to himself. "JerkJerk...heeheehee...JerkJerk!" Rose also started blushing, and started giggling.

"What's gotten into them?" Hiyoko asked. "Oh boy...I thought you said these were non-alcoholic." Jugo added. "I told Rin-Rin not to get the hard stuff, I swear!" Tenko slurred as she started blushing. "Is that why I'm feeling a little flustered?" Hiyoko pondered. "I told theeeem. I really diiiiiiid!" Tenko groaned.

"Hey, Rin. There really hard booze in this shit?" Shūjo asked. Rin was giggling to herself. "Oh no, of course not." She was now blushing, and had a bright aura around her. "There's no doubt in my miiiiind." she said smoothly. She removed her jacket, then untied her hair. She finished off her drink. "Hey. Be a sport and get me a refill, would ya?" she asked Shūjo. He did as she asked, and looked on wordlessly as she gulped down the second drink. Tenko finished hers, then excitedly slammed the glass down in a way that shattered it. "King's Gaaaaaaame!" she exclaimed, her hand now bleeding. The others looked confused. "Don't give me that look! Whenever the adults feel like havin' a good time, they play the King's Game! 'Course, they always force me to leave before the fun reaaaally starts. I can hold my drink juuust fine, but they always make me go home before it gets good. Morooooons! I'm gonna play the King's Game and no one's gonna stop me!" "Shouldn't you get that hand looked at...?" Jugo asked.

"JERKJERK!" Tenko yelled. "Huh?" "Go fetch the chopsticks!" "Wh...why me?! Am I just errand boy today?" "The king's orders are absolute! Now get off your ass and do what I tell you!" Resentfully, Shūjo did as she asked.

"So...how's this game work again?" Hiyoko asked. "Okay, sooo...we each pick a chopstick, and all of them have numbers on them. One stick has a red mark, and whoever has that mark is the king. Then the king picks a number, and whoever has that number has to do whatever the king tells them to. But the king doesn't know who has what number, and that's where the fun comes in!" Rose explained. "Rose...? Where'd you learn that?" asked Hiyoko. "I think our mission to keep her uncorrupted has ended in failure." Jugo replied.

"Alrighty, everyone! Grab a chopstick, go on! Who's got the red one?!" Tenko asked. "Jin has the red one! Is Jin the king?!" Jin exclaimed. "Aw, crap. This can't end well." Jugo uttered. "Your righteous king demands that the chosen comes to suck face, without delay!" Jin said. "S-suck face?!" Hiyoko said nervously. Jin put his hands together above his head in a praying manner. "Oh, gods above, grant me that which I desire. Number 1!" "Gh...!" uttered a shocked Shūjo. "I-I meant Number 2!" said Jin. "Nuh-uh, Your Majesty. The king's word is final, right?" Jugo stated. "Kiss hiiiiim!" Rose chimed. Jin stood above the nervous Shūjo. "Admit it, JoJo. You and me, we've got a connection going. And I'm feeling inspired to craft a little story. 'Crimes of Passion: The Gamer's Seduction by the Noble Criminal -- by Jin Mirai'." Jin tackled Shūjo. "F-FUCKING BASTARD! DON'T YOU DARE--mm mmph!" Shūjo exclaimed, before a kissing noise was heard, followed by a hard hit. "Welp, that's it for Round One! Already got two players eliminated!" Tenko chimed. "Wait, when was it that kind of game?" Hiyoko asked.

"Everyone get ready for Round Twoooooo!" Tenko exclaimed. Shūjo and Jin were back in their spots, Shūjo's face turning red and Jin sporting a black eye. "Who's the king now?!" Rin stylishly tossed her stick in the air, before catching it, and flashing the red mark. "I'm the king." she said smoothly. Jugo raised his hand. "I'm putting in a request for reasonable demands." he said. "After sucking face?! You can't do that! You have to take it up a notch from there!" Rose said, giggling. "She's right, sit on her lap!" Tenko said. "Ooh, good, or maybe we could nap on her lap..." "Not bad, not bad. Piggy back rides are good too!" "Shoot me now." Jugo said with a sigh.

"C'mon, make up your mind already!" Tenko exclaimed. Coolly, Rin stood yards in front of a ski ball machine, and tossed a ski ball around in her hands. "Number 5." she said. She made a pitching motion, and tossed the ball towards the machine. It seemed to hang in the air for minutes, before finally landing squarely inside of a hole labelled with the number five. The others watched in amazement. "Number 5...my lap is yours." Rin said, turning towards the group with a glow in her eye. Hiyoko's eyes widened. "N...number 5 is me." she uttered. "The king's orders..." Rin began. "Are absolute!" Tenko exclaimed.

Hiyoko stood begrudgingly in front of Rin, who sat calmly. "Go on. It's not gonna sit on itself." Rin said. Slowly, nervously, Hiyoko sat down on Rin's lap, an annoyed look on her face. "Heeeey, not bad! Okay, my turn!" said Rose. Hiyoko quickly got up, and Rose embraced Rin in a hug and sat on her lap. "See this, Hiyoko? You have to get in nice and close. See what I mean?" "Uhhh..." Tenko got up. "Alright, ya plebs, out of the way! The king's adorable lap is MINE now! Move it!" She bumped Rose off, and lied down on Rin's lap in a napping position. "Wheeee, so comfy..." she uttered. Rose quickly returned to the hugging position, while Hiyoko sat next to them, looking irritated. "Oh, come on! You can't just take all three of them at once!" Shūjo yelled. "Actually, I can." Rin twirled around her stick. "I'm the king, remember?"

Jugo approached the bar. "Hey. Just how much booze did you stick in those drinks?" he asked. "Oh, there's no booze. We haven't served alcohol here in years." the bartender answered. "Wait, seriously? Then..." He looked over at the group, the girls hovering over an unmoving Rin while Jin gleefully lay on an annoyed Shūjo's shoulder. "...why." he sighed.

Shortly after, Rose fell asleep on top of Rin. Jin had placed one of the chopsticks in his mouth. "Hey, everyone! My name's JoJo! I swear a ton! You know what'd be a kickass thing to talk about? My shit!" Jin said, as Tenko burst into uncontrollable laughter. Shūjo just sat there, annoyed. "There's only three things you need in your daily life! Good meals, good sleep, and a good shit!" Jin continued, as Tenko's laughter increased. "I don't mind baring my ass in front of people, just so they know I take good care of it! I'm a man that flushes his shit every morning!" Hiyoko started to snicker. "I'm gonna unplug that thing so fuckin' fast, I swear to God..." Shūjo growled.

"Alright, as the oldest one here, I'm gonna call an intervention. Party's over." Jugo said. "Meanieeeee! It was just getting fun!" Tenko argued. "I haven't even marked the bathroom with my shit yet!" Jin added. "You've got five seconds before I take that tablet and bash your fuckin' face in with it!" Shūjo griped. Jugo rubbed his temple. "Japan's best and brightest, on full display..."

With some coercion, Jugo got the group to head back to the cabin. Hana was watching TV on the couch. "What in the world...? she pondered at the sight of the inebriated teens. "Ma'am, I know what you're thinking. And no, they aren't drunk." Jugo said. "Well then, why are they..." "I DON'T KNOW." He coerced them all to go to bed. "Eat well! Shit well!" Jin exclaimed. "Good night, Jin." Jugo said firmly before shutting the door. "Well...certainly an eventful day." Hiyoko mused. Jugo groaned. "Only nine more days of this..."

\---

DECEMBER 24, 2019

"Good morning, troublemakers~." Hana hummed. Rin, Rose and Tenko all sat on the couch looking frazzled. Jin held a hot water bottle atop his head. "I feel like I've just bathed in sin..." Rose grogged. "That's what's good about the drink, girlie." Tenko added. "For the last time, you weren't drunk. They haven't served alcohol in years. It's all in your head." Jugo asserted. "Yeah well, so's the feeling like a sumo just sat on my face..." Rin grogged.

"Well, you kids have fun with the hangover. Mama's got some errands to run~." Hana chimed before leaving. "Ma'am, if it's no trouble, I'd like to come with. Given recent events, leaving you unattended might not be a wise idea." Jugo said. "Oh, such a responsible young man. Well, if you don't mind keeping an old lady company then I wouldn't mind." "Ma'am if you call 45 old, then my mother would probably have a word..."

A short while later the group's respective headaches faded. "Now that that queasiness is over with, what's on the docket for Christmas Eve?" Rin asked. "Hmmm...we've already done the spring and the bar...probably something a little less hectic." Tenko said. "I have a suggestion." Rose piped up. Everyone looked over at her. She started turning red. "Why is everyone looking at me like that...?" she said sheepishly. "It's just...a little strange to hear you speak up. You're usually so quiet." Shūjo said. "So what's on your mind, Rosie?" Tenko asked. "Well...there's a few hiking trails close by. I've been wanting to take in the scenery since we arrived. Also, I hear that the end of the trail is a spot halfway up the mountain, and that it's..." She started blushing. "It's a very popular spot for couples. So I thought, maybe you four would...you know..." Tenko giggled. "Oh my God, look at this pastry we have! Date night in the mountains sounds so adorable~!" "Agreed. We'd have to do it a bit later for...mood purposes, but I'm all for it. You boys have any objections?" Hiyoko asked. "None from me, my lady." said Shūjo. "Negative, ghost rider." added Jin. "That settles it, then. Great idea, Rose. No trip to the mountains is complete without a hike." Rin said. "Th-thank you, Rin. I'm glad I could be of help...well, anyway. There's more than one path up the mountain. We could all go on separate paths if we go the...date route..." Rose said.

"Well, I know what pairings we'd be in, so I guess that'd leave Rose with..." Shūjo began. Rose started blushing. "Oh, don't freak her out like that, JoJo. She knows she can go anywhere with me, right, Rose?" Rin said. "R-right. I don't mind at all..." Rose said quietly. Tenko gave a look of concern. "Alright. Guess we've gotta prepare for a trek. I'll go see if there's a map lying around..." Shūjo said. The group scattered to make preparations. Tenko and Jin stayed behind.

"You're not grabbing anything?" Tenko asked. "I'm keeping an eye on the tablet. If we're gonna be out there for a while then I want this thing fully charged. Anyway...what's with the look?" Jin replied. Tenko sighed. "It's Rosie...I'm really worried about her." "Worried? But she wants to go with Rin, right?" "Of course. It's just...the look in her eyes. The way she was talking. She might be planning something and I don't know how Rin-Rin would respond." "What'd she be...wait. You're not saying that Rose might be...?" "I...don't know. I know what direction Rin-Rin goes in. But Rosie...it's all still so new to her. And you see how she is around Rin-Rin. If she said something and got her heart broken, I don't know if she'd ever recover." Jin was silent. "I think...you need to trust them both. If Rose feels the way you think she does, she shouldn't keep it bottled up. And you know and I know, Rin isn't the type to reject someone for something like that. We all need to be honest with each other. Cuz..." He looked at the tablet. "God knows something horrible could happen anytime." Tenko gave a half smirk. "You're right. I'm gonna trust them both, whatever happens. Hiding your feelings hurts more than it helps. And anyway, we've got our own little hike to worry about. I'm gonna go by the store." "Alrighty. I'll just sit here charging my voice box." Tenko left.

"...Man, I hope I'm right." Jin thought to himself.

\---

SHIRAYUKI HIKING ENTRANCE

HOURS LATER

"Hey, Rin?" Rose asked. "What's up?" Rin replied. "Do you think it's really safe going in like this? Who knows what might be lurking around here..." "Oh, relax. Yuki-onna's not gonna be interested in a couple of girls, and we're four days late on dealing with Ippon-Datara. We'll be fine. I dunno why you're so nervous, this was your idea, after all." "I know...I'm just being paranoid. Given the last few months, it's natural." "Yeah, I get it. But we're here to relax, away from everything. I won't let anything happen to you. Pinkie swear." Rin began walking the path. "I know that, Rin. I know that I'm safe when I'm with you. Oh..." she began to herself. "I know it could never be...oh, why must my heart betray me like this?" "Hey, Rose? You coming?" Rin called out. "Oh, sorry! I'll be right there!" Rose called back.

She started after Rin. I'll tell her the truth. When we reach the end, I'll explain everything. She appreciates honesty. She could never feel this way, I know that. But this will eat me alive if I keep it in. So it has to be done. Even if she resents me for it... she thought.

\---

Elsewhere on the mountain trail, Jin was looking up at a tree while eating from another bag of Hi-Chews. Tenko had climbed halfway up the tree and stood on a branch. "Shoot, it's really nothing but white as far as the eye can see, huh?!" she exclaimed. "It's about as white as an American gun owners' meeting." Jin joked. "Oh, hush. You should come up and see for yourself!" "I'd snap the branch as soon as I stepped on it." "Come on, you talk like you're morbidly obese. It'll be fine!" "Yeah, no. I'll stick to the ground view." "Spoilsport."

Tenko jumped from the branch. "Y'know, the whole point of a vacation is to try something different. You can have Hi-Chews whenever you want. Just maybe not on a romantic mountain hike." "These are sugar-free, though. Totally different." Tenko sighed. "What am I gonna do with you?" "Take one for yourself?" Tenko looked around, and grabbed one from the bag. "...y'know this ain't half bad." she said. "Right?"

Suddenly, the pair heard a tiny barking noise. "Is...is that...a pupper calling out to me?!" Tenko exclaimed before running off in the direction of the barking. "All the way out he--hey, wait up!" Jin gave chase.

Tenko ran and eventually came across a small wolf pup, barking at seemingly everywhere. "Hey there, little guy! What's wrong? Where's your mama at?" she said cutely. "Step away from it, Tenko." Jin warned. "Oh, come on, he's not gonna do anything. He's just a little squirt." "It ain't him I'm worried about. I'm worried about mama leaping from the shadows and going for my neck." "Why would she go after you when I'm the one holding him?" "Cuz my luck's messed up like that."

"I don't think mama's gonna be an issue. Looks like he's all alone. Did you lose your mama, little guy?" "Tenko, we have to get moving. It's gonna get dark soon. Who knows what might come jumping out at us?" "He's coming with us. Maybe we'll find his mama somewhere. We can't just leave him alone out here." "But--" Tenko gave him the cute, pouty look. "Oh, no. Nuh-uh. No, don't even, don't...ugh, alright, fine. I'm not completely heartless. But if mama comes and bites my jugular, you'll regret it." "Yay~! Oh, about the pupper, not the jugular, thing." "I got what the 'yay' meant. You're lucky I'm a sucker for wolves." Jin walked over. "Your mom's not gonna eat me, right?" he asked. The pup licked his face. "Aw, jeez. Why do I gotta be a sucker for cute shit?" Tenko giggled. "Cuz you're just a soft teddy bear, that's why~."

The pair walked along the path for a while, Tenko holding the pup the whole time. Eventually, Jin sat down against a tree. "Sheesh, we've gotta be getting close to the end. Still no sign of this guy's fam, either..." Jin mused. Tenko stared at him thoughtfully. "What's that look for?" he asked. "This is familiar, isn't it? Me with a dog, you sitting against a tree with a machine in your lap." she answered. "Heh. Yeah, you're right. It's like the day we met. Difference being that machine was a game. This one...this one's a lifeline." He took on a somber look. "I'm sorry..." he said. "Jin...? Sorry for what?" "Sorry for being...such a sponge for negativity. It's been like this from day one. Everything just turns sour when I'm around. Being held at gunpoint twice, getting muted by a maniac...my Dad...it's just one thing after another. You, on the other hand...you're the fun one. Everything gets happy when you're around. You're the kind of girl that should be as far away from a guy like me as possible. You deserve way better than having to suffer with me..."

The pup leapt out of Tenko's arms and went over to Jin. "Hm? What's up, fella? Ya wanna cheer up this sad old lump? Sheesh, you've got your own problems..." Jin mused, while petting the pup around its ears. Suddenly, the pup started barking. "Did I do it wrong?" Jin asked. "Over there!" Tenko said. A short distance from the trees was an adult wolf, flanked by several pups. The large wolf growled. The pup ran over to it, barking at it. The mother slowly walked over to Jin. He sat completely still. Then, the large dog licked his face. It turned away, and started off with the pups. The first pup gave the pair a few barks goodbye, before happily bounding off.

"Well, whaddya know...she didn't go for the nape." Jin said. "Still think you're bad luck?" Tenko asked. "A trail this big, already dark, and she comes right by where we're sitting. And she didn't attack at all. Dogs are good judges of character. She wouldn't have been so nice to someone with a negative aura." She sat down next to him. "I know you've had it rough. But it hasn't been all bad. You said it yourself, this little machine here's a lifeline. We're lucky to know a tech genius that could pull this off. You know by now that I don't mind sharing your pain. That's Rule 5 of the relationship agreement. I signed on for the good and the bad. So don't go thinking it's all been bad, alright?" She yawned. "Shoot, I'm bushed. Haven't even gotten to the top yet. I could use a break..." She closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulders. "Just give me five minutes...mm, so comfy..." she said groggily.

Jin smirked. "Heh...you're right. Maybe my luck's not so bad after all..."

\---

"Mmmmmm...it's like sleeping on one giant pillow..." Hiyoko mused, while lying peacefully in the snow. "It would be so easy to just let it go and take a nap...don't you think so, JoJo?"

Shūjo, meanwhile, had a dark, uncomfortable look on his face. "Something wrong, hun?" Hiyoko asked. "N-no, nuthin. Everything's going swimmin--oh, jeez." he grumbled. "You know you can tell me anything." "I...I can't...not now, not here...it'd shame me as a man..." "What would? What's bothering you?"

"SHITTING MY PANTS HERE WOULD SHAME ME AS A MAAAAAAAAN!" he yelled.

Hiyoko was dumbfounded. "You...seriously need to go now?" "Oh GOD, I can't take it! My gut's about ready to melt down! Mirai, you bastard! What the fuck'd you slip in that candy?!" "I'm pretty sure he was eating from that same bag..." Shūjo's stomach began to growl. "Aw, man...I can't...I don't got a choice, I'm gonna have to light up that bush!" "Don't even think about it! We're not savages! If I remember right, there was an outhouse a short way back. Can you hold it until then?" "Can't...it's gonna...oh shit! SHIT! I'M GONNA SHIIIIIIIT!" "Not so loud, you madman! You're going to cause an avalanche at this rate!" "It's...already happening...in my--" "Oh, enough! Let's just get to that outhouse before things get...messier."

The pair made it to the outhouse moments later. "Good grief, salvation! I can't take it..." He sprinted inside. Hiyoko stood by the door. "You alright in there, sweets?" "MY ASS IS MOUNT FUJI RIGHT NOW!" "Ugh...so vulgar..."

A few minutes later, Shūjo came trotting out. "Ahhhh, there we go! I feel like a new man!" he said cheerfully. "Fantastic...you done being disgusting for the day?" "Give me a few minutes, I'm sure I'll come up with something." Hiyoko sighed. "Oh, come on. I was just kidding. Since when does a little dirtiness bother you?" Shūjo asked. "JoJo...I need to tell you something." "Uh-oh."

"Well, in a few days time, several prominent members of the Kagetora family will be vacationing here for New Year's. And they want to meet me." "Well, damn. That's great news." "There's more to it than that. Aunt Umi says that...they also want to meet the boy who saved me." "Oh." He paused, then started to turn pale. "Oh." "Yeah...you should know that my father and aunt aren't unique cases within the family. The law is the family business. Everyone coming here is either a prominent attorney or trial judge...are you starting to see the problem?" "Fffffuuuuuuuck." he groaned.

"Oh, this is just GREAT. So your family of lawyers wanna meet the guy that saved you, not knowing just what the hell I am. This has shitshow written all over it!" "It might not be so...as long as they don't see the tattoo..." "It's not just the tattoo, though. It's the way I speak, the way I act. They're trained to spot guys like me from a mile away. And chances are they've probably put folks from my clan away personally. I might as well have 'yakuza' tattooed on my head, just to get it over with!" "JoJo..."

Shūjo groaned. "Dammit all...I'm gonna screw this up so bad, aren't I..." "Please, it isn't like they're going to lock you up on sight--" "It's not me I'm worried about. I'm gonna screw this up for you. You finally have the family you've been looking for, and now my happy ass is gonna wreck it all by existing. How the hell do you try to explain to a bunch of lawyers and judges that you were rescued and housed by a bunch of gangsters? Tch, every time I think my past is done screwing me over..."

Hiyoko walked over and promptly kissed Shūjo. "I'll explain to them that you are not what that mark on your chest says you are. I'm only alive because you saved me. If I can see that you are no criminal, then surely they can. And they'll see how deeply I feel for you. Vulgarities and all." she explained. "Tch...you and your being reasonable. Guess this means I've gotta be on my extra most bestest behavior." he replied. "That's right. Maybe try avoiding the toilet references?" "Well if my stomach goes along with it, sure." "And please promise me you won't threaten to sell their organs. Lawyers might not take kindly to that." "Well maybe I should just keep quiet." "That might work, too."

"Welp, guess we've gotta get a move on." Shūjo went on ahead. "This has every reason to end poorly. But I believe they can learn to accept him. They'll see him the way I do. I have to channel that trademark Rin optimism and will it into existence." Hiyoko said to herself. She started after Shūjo, a slight spring in her step.

\---

A short while later, Rin and Rose arrived at the end of the trail, a lookout spot midway up the mountain. Rin looked out from near the edge. Rose stood away, lost in thought. "Yo, you sleeping over there?" Rin asked. Rose perked up. "Sorry, sorry...I was just pondering something..." "You alright? You've been pretty quiet the whole way up here. Is my company really that bad?" "No, of course not! It's nothing like that..." "Well, put it this way. Would you rather switch with Jugo and be running errands with my mom?"

Elsewhere, Jugo stood dumbfounded while holding a bucket of small silver balls. Hana sat at a pachinko machine, laughing wildly as more and more of the silver balls came pouring out. Numerous full buckets surrounded her. "Consider yourself lucky, young man." one of the parlor workers said. "Few are privileged enough to witness the Pachinko Goddess of Western Kantō at work." Jugo remained silent. "Ohohohoho~! I'm amazed there's still anything left. I usually clean these things out by now. Hahahaha~!" Hana laughed.

Back atop the mountain, Rin continued. "I dunno what she does with her spare time, but trust me, you'd probably rather be up here." "R-right..." Rose uttered. "Seriously though, why the quiet act? Aren't you having fun?"

Rose sighed. "Rin...do you know why I am...the way that I am?" "Huh? What do you mean?" "When my father created me, he wanted to make someone who would question and desire to have human emotions. And so, he made me to be a blank slate. He told me that the first person to imprint themselves on me would be vital, that the way I perceive the world would be based on them. That first person was you." "Hang on...that was back when I was in the darker phase, though. So why aren't you more like that?" "I don't know...maybe I could sense your true character all along. Because everything that I know about compassion, about love, about happiness, I've learned from being around you. That's why I never want to leave your side. And that's why...I am in pain." "Pain? Why would you be in pain?"

"Because if you don't like what I have to say, then...I might not be able to stay around." "Rose...you're starting to scare me. What would make you think you couldn't be around?"

Rose paused. "Everything I've seen from you is something I wish to be. Your compassion, your optimism, your ability to forgive. You've experienced such horror up to this point, yet you maintain your smile. I never, ever want to see that smile vanish. I...I love you, Rin. But I can't figure out how." Rin was speechless. "Everything I know about love tells me that I do. I want to see you happy. The thought of losing you makes me hurt. Your presence by itself makes me happy. And I want to be with you forever. What else could that possibly be besides love? And how...how could you ever feel the same way towards me?"

Tears began to stream down Rose's face. "I am but an empty puppet. I was made to feel what others feel. How can a subservient doll feel love, or be loved in return? If you reject me, what would I be worth to anyone else? How can I even be sure what I'm feeling is real?" "Rose..." Rin uttered. She embraced the despondent Rose. "Those tears you're making should be proof enough that your feelings are real. You aren't an empty doll. You're my dear friend, Rose. And you never have to worry about leaving me. And I'm gonna show you why."

Rin took out her phone. "My mom was gonna give it to you tomorrow, but I don't think she'll mind me telling you. Your dad came to the shop about a month ago. After my mom turned back his pickup lines, he said he wanted you to live here as long as you pleased. That he knew you wanted to remain around people. And he made a suggestion about doing that. My mom went through all the necessary channels, and your dad worked some magic regarding your history, and..."

Rose stared intently at the screen. "Certification of Adoption" was scrawled atop a sheet of paper.

"We're gonna need to get some of your story straight. We had to change up your name a bit, but I think 'Rōzū Kubo' has a nice ring to it. Consider it thanks for being such a sweetheart with my mom. She sees you like a second daughter, you know. You know she loves you to death. And...I do to. We wouldn't be in any kind of good spot right now if you weren't here. I know that doesn't come from any kind of bigger will. That comes from your own heart. And that kindness is, well..." Rin gave a hearty smile. "It's exactly what I want in a sister."

Rose's legs started to tremble. "Sis...ter...? You...really mean that?" "Yep, I do. Cross my heart. So, don't worry about being left alone anymore, okay? I'll never let that happen." Rose continued to cry. She started blushing. "Th-thank you, Rin. I promise...I'll be the best sister you could ever ask for..." she said with a teary smile.

Suddenly, a loud cry came from a nearby bush. The girls looked over. "Mirai, you fucking idiot, keep it down!" "Leave him alone and take your own advice, JoJo! And get your hand off my ass while you're at it!" Rin was dumbstruck. "Um, guys? That you we're hearing?" The four emerged from behind the bush. "Ahehehehe, heeeeey. We weren't eavesdropping or anything, we were, uh..." Tenko said. "Tenko's ass is really tight from the walk so we were massaging it to loosen it up." Shūjo deadpanned. Tenko, face unchanging, put Shūjo into a headlock. "Ignore the neanderthal, please." she said with a hint of anger.

"Uhh, hey! Would ya take a look at that view!" Jin said, trying to diffuse the situation. He ran over to the edge. Tenko followed, dragging Shūjo along with her as a bemused Hiyoko came from behind. Rin gave a sigh. "Guess we gotta join the party." she said, and walked over. Rose followed.

The group looked towards the starry night sky. Rin turned to a smiling Rose. "Merry Christmas, Rosie." she said. Rose gave a nod. "Merry Christmas, Rin."

"Rin...my sister..."


	12. "I'll Face Myself"

DECEMBER 31, 2019

MT. SHIRAYUKI MOUNTAIN RESORT

Rin sifted through her closet, humming to herself. She pulled out and studied a red yukata adorned with images of apple blossoms. "Always on brand, aren't we, sister?" Rose stood in the doorway, her hair tied back in a similar fashion to Rin's, and exuding an altogether brighter aura. "Well, of course. Just like how I just know yours is gonna be velvet." Rin replied. "Hmm. You got me there. If being near your family has taught me anything, it's how to stick with your identity." "Hey, hey. It's your family now too, Rose." "I know. I'm still getting used to it. It warms my heart just thinking about it." "The feeling's mutual. It's nice to hear someone besides Tan being happy to call me 'sister'." Rose pondered the statement. "Was...was Tohru truly so cruel to you, Rin? I'm still having a hard time comprehending how that can be the case." Rin stayed silent. "I'm sorry...I'll leave it be." Rose finally said.

"Well...there was something else I needed to talk to you about. And the others, too." Rose said. She took Rin to the living room. The rest of the group had already gathered there. "Sorry to bring you all on such short notice. I know we're still busy preparing for tonight, but I felt that something needed taking care of." Rose explained. "It's no trouble at all. What's on your mind?" asked Jugo. "Well...our break is nearly at an end. Meaning, we'll soon be back in the crosshairs of Ishimaru and that murderous Reaper once more. If our first encounter taught me anything, it's that we weren't anything close to prepared for the power that man wields. So I sought council with my father, and he gave me a method. A method on how to gain the strength to defeat those men." "Well, shit. If you've got something like that, we'd all be down for it. So what's this method you've got?" Shūjo asked. "I feel it would be best to show you firsthand." Rose pulled out her phone. She inputted a set of coordinates, and a portal opened beneath each group member, pulling all of them in.

Rin came to at the bottom a large pit, surrounded by doors. She was adorned in her red shihakusho. "Umm, Rose? Guys? Where'd you go? And what's with all the doors?" she asked. "Those doors are the entrances to our friends' innermost feelings." Rose appeared in front of Rin. "Don't be alarmed. They're all perfectly safe. They will only be awakened once you enter their respective doorway." "Doorway? What is all this, Rose?" "This is one of the lower-most levels of Tartarus. The name bestowed upon it is 'Muken'. This place is normally inaccessible to any within the Velvet Room, save for special occasions. It's normally an empty space, but when one bearing the Fool Arcana--like you--enters, then the bonds you've forged along the way will manifest themselves as doorways to the heart." Rin thought for a moment. "So those doors...they'd basically be taking me to their Palace? But I thought that only happened with a distorted heart." "This is different, Rin. Those doorways lead to a space occupied by our friends' deepest, most hidden doubts. And to gain the strength to overcome any obstacle, we need to do away with those negative feelings. We need to awaken them to their Personas' ultimate forms."

Rin was taken aback. "Ultimate forms...? These things can go even further?" "Yes, they can. Let me show you." Rose's eyes glowed. Behind her appeared not the shadowy puppet that was Calcabrina, but a grey-skinned woman adorned in a pink kimono. "This is Kikuri-Hime, the advanced form of my Persona. This is the end result of turning a vow with the Fool into a blood oath. This is achieved through reaching a deep level of understanding. Rin. You accepting me as your family and giving me a deeper purpose absolved my heart of any lingering doubts. This is what must be done with our friends. Despite what they say, within the depths of their souls lie lingering doubts about our mission. It's up to you to bleach them clean, in a manner of speaking."

"So...this is gonna be like a Palace, right? I just gotta get them to come to their senses?" "You need to get them to accept their deficiencies. Help them confront their demons, like you did with me. A fair warning, though...the Shadows you will encounter will be their darkest emotions given form. This might be...very unpleasant." "'Very unpleasant', huh...guess it wouldn't go any other way. Alright. Who's up first?" "Why don't we begin..." Rose looked up at a door with a stained glass image of Tenko, standing underneath a gigantic heart. "...where it began?"

The girls entered the door. At that moment, Tenko opened her eyes. "Ugggh, what'd ya put in my drink, Rosie...huh? What the...?" She realized she was locked in a cage, hanging from the ceiling.

Rin and Rose appeared in a dark hallway, with cages hanging from the ceiling and lining the walls. Those adorning the walls were in the shape of hearts. "What's with all this...glk!" Rin grabbed the wall. "Rin? What's...unh!" Rose clasped her throat. "Ugh...why's it feel so suffocating?!" Rin struggled to utter the words. Suddenly, an unsettling laugh echoed. "That laugh...is that..." uttered Rin. Then, a TV screen atop the wall turned on. The silhouette of a girl appeared sitting on a throne. All that could be seen of her was a pair of glowing yellow eyes. Even in shadow, Rin recognized the figure. "Tenko...?"

The Shadow spoke in a distorted voice. "Well hello, hello, my lovelies~! Welcome to my comfy abode~! Sorry sorry for the discomfort~. I hear my love can be a bit...suffocating, ahahahaha~!" The Shadow then pulled out what looked to be a whip. "Oh, ohohohohOH. But I'm just soooooo happy you're here, my lovelies~! I've wanted you both in my collection ever since I laid eyes on you~! And now you're finally ready to be spoiled by moi~! So please please PLEASE don't keep us waiting, or I'm liable to get nasty. Ta taaaaa~!" The TV shut off.

"Ugh, I think the air's lightened up. What was that about a collection?" Rin asked. "From the looks of it, it's love in its most uninhibited form. Possession. And judging from these cages, she has quite a bit to possess." Rose answered. The two progressed forward.

Down the hall, they walked past more cages, several of them containing shadowy dogs of all kinds. The Shadow's voice echoed. "My pretty pupper palace has boopsies of every variety~! I love them just soooo much, I can't decide, so I picked all of them~! So many happy little boops, I can't stand it~!" "They certainly don't look that happy..." Rin said under her breath. "I knew she loved her dogs, but this is way overboard..."

Rose looked down the hall, and her eyes widened. "Rin, look..." At the end of the hall, was another heart-shaped cell. Above the cell, in bubbly writing, was the name "Jin". The shocked pair looked inside. What appeared to be an exhausted Jin was chained to the wall by a leash. His gaze was empty. "Oh my God...what's he doing here?" Rin asked. Rose looked, and saw a shadowy aura below Jin's feet. "That explains it. This is a product of Tenko's cognition. It's not the real Jin."

The voice echoed again. "See what this mean world did to my poor Jin? He's safe now in my arms~! It's the only place he can be safe~! I'd wrap him in bubble wrap if I could~. They can't hurt him if he can't go anywhere, right? Nobody hurts my sweetie when Tenko-chan is watching, ahahahahahahaha~!"

Rin looked on in silence. "She...she's not this possessive, there's no way. He looks like another of her dogs..." "Remember, Rin. This is her emotions taken to the darkest extreme. I don't doubt that she wants to keep him safe, but this..." Rose responded. The two proceeded inside the nearby door.

Inside the room was a high throne that sat atop several gold statues of dogs. Next to the throne was the cage holding Tenko. "Rin-Rin! Rosie! Thank God, what the hell is all this?!" she cried out. Then, in a sudden burst of blue flame, the Shadow appeared sitting on the throne. She held the whip, and was adorned in black-and-pink leather. "Hey hey heeeeey, language, young missy! Presentation is everything, y'know~!" she said. "What's with the attitude?! I thought we came to an understanding!" Tenko protested. "Ahahahahahaha~! She thinks she really gets me, how adorbs~! Why would I give anything to someone that doesn't even express her love the right way? Trust me sweets, I'm what you really want~!" "Oh, bullSHIT! Why would I want to be like you?!"

The Shadow giggled. "You really need me to tell you? You need a reminder of just how goooood you are at protecting people? So good that our sweetie gets held at gunpoint practically once every week? If you really cared so much, you'd keep eyes on him 24/7! But nope. Instead he gets mangled by that red creep! That's why you need to listen to me. You should be wrapping him up in tape, and keeping him away from everyone else! If you really care about something, you keep it away from anything that can hurt it!"

"That's why I want Rin-Rin and Rosie in my collection~! They're gonna be hurt just like Jin if you let them run around! You need to show your love for them, Tenko. I love my friends like nothing else. I love them sooooo much..." She started hugging herself, and turning red. "I love them so much that I'd rather kill them myself to keep them safe~!"

Rin and Rose looked shocked. Tenko grew angrier. "Sh-shut the fuck up! Who do you think you are, saying that with my face?!" The Shadow laughed. "You're really asking me that~? I'm you, dummie~! I'm everything you wanna be~!" "That's crap and you know it!"

"There's no way that you're me!"

The Shadow's gaze turned darker. "Ahehehehe...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~! Deny all you want, you're gonna see how I love everything~! And I'll love you two...I'll love you to death~!" The Shadow was enveloped in flames, and emerged in the form of a pink-skinned woman, with white robes and large horns.

"I am a Shadow, the true self...I am Ishtar, bringer of love and battle...you'll accept my love, won't you? I'll keep you safe, within my grasp, whatever the cost...even if it means taking your lives!"

A bright light appeared underneath Rin. "Uh-oh." she uttered after looking up, quickly jumping away from the ensuing lightning strike. Further strikes pursued her as she dodged. She leapt at the Shadow, who grabbed the tip of her spear, and flung her away. "Don't you know how dangerous it is, playing with sharp objects like this? You're almost begging to get hurt! Why won't you just calm down?!" Another strike came down towards Rin, only to be blocked by a wall of light. Rin looked up and saw it. "Huh? This isn't Tenko's, this is..." She saw that her wounds were being healed by the light. Rose stood nearby, her Persona behind her. "As Jin would say, you never go into a dungeon without a White Mage on-hand." she said.

Suddenly, the Shadow appeared behind Rose. "Don't speak that name around me so casually." she said in a menacing manner. She exuded a strong aura that pushed Rose away and into Rin. "Don't talk about him when you're the ones responsible for his plight!" The Shadow angrily brought down lightning on top of them, only for Rin to block it with her spear. The spear became electrified, and a lightbulb went off in Rin's head. She tossed the spear towards the Shadow, and an explosion of electricity ensued.

The Shadow returned to her normal form, and collapsed to her knees. "You ready to play nice, now?" Rin asked. "....shut up. Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP! Is my protection so unwanted that you'd rather kick my ass than accept it?!" Then, she started to cry. "Oh, who am I kidding? What good is my protection when the people I promise to keep safe get hurt anyway? This is all so scary...and there's nothing I can do about it. Is this just the curse of love? Having to see people hurt and getting to feel every last bit of pain, knowing I can't help them at all?"

"That's...that's enough." Tenko said. "I know why you're so afraid. I am too. It'd be so much easier to just lock everything away and hope that'd be enough, but that'd just be hurting people too. It'd be easier just to run away. And I've wanted to, so many times. Just grab Jin and run back to the countryside, and forget about all of this. But I can't abandon the people that I love here. So...I'm gonna have to learn to suck it up. Part of fencing is knowing how to maintain your posture, even when it gets dicey. I said I was going to keep you all safe no matter what, and that's what I'm gonna do." She looked at her Shadow. "That's what we're gonna do." The Shadow gave a nod, and disappeared into a tiny ball of light, which flew over to Tenko. She returned to her valkyrie garb.

"I'd die for you both, you know that? Bestie's honor. I'm seeing this out to the end of the line. Even if it gets scary, as long as it's with the people I love, then it's not so bad. So like it or not...you're not getting rid of me~." The room began to shake, and a bright light enveloped the entire place. Rin and Rose were brought back to the room filled with doors. "Wait, we're back here? Where'd Tenko go?" Rin asked. "Her heart has been cleared of doubt. She's been returned to the material world. We needn't worry. For now, we press forward." Rose answered. They stood in front of another stained glass door, with an image of Shūjo hanging upside down from one leg, the other leg crossing it in a way that looked like the number '4'. "One down, four to go. You're up, JoJo." Rin said, before the two walked through the door.

\---

The girls appeared in what looked to be a large compound located next to a set of docks. It was dark, and not a soul was around. They stood in front of a large door, with a message scrawled on the front reading "Actions Have Consequences". "This isn't ominous at all." Rin stated.

The girls entered the building, which was dimly lit and had walls decorated with traditional artworks. Rose took notice of one picture of a koi fish leaping at a waterfall, with a large dragon emerging from the top of the falls. "It's the Dragon's Gate legend." Rin said. "It's about carp that continuously try to leap over a waterfall, and the ones that succeed turn into dragons. It's a lesson in drive and hard work paying off, and how something supposedly weak can become mighty and powerful given enough effort." "Hmm. If at first you don't succeed, so on and so forth." Rose replied.

The girls entered a large room, filled with artwork and artifacts of all kinds. In the center of the room was a large statue of a muscular man battling with some type of fanged humanoid creature. "'Jotensai Higashikata, First Among the Stars'. I'm guessing this guy's JoJo's ancestor." Rin said. "But what's that creature he's battling?" Rose asked.

Then, the girls heard the sound of a gun being cocked. "It's a kyonshī. My ancestors were masters of killing the bloodsucking freaks. So they say, anyway." The girls turned to see Shūjo standing there, garbed in a white suit, sunglasses covering his glowing yellow eyes, and pointing a pistol at them. "Guess people just don't bother with knocking anymore. Shame. Respect is really a lost art." he said in a distorted voice. "JoJo?!" Rin uttered. "Shut it. You need permission to call me that. Now move."

He forced the girls into the next room. "Y'all are gonna stand here and watch." the Shadow said. He snapped his fingers, and Rin and Rose's hands and feet were suddenly bound with rope. "And now, for the guest of 'honor'." He snapped his fingers again, and the real Shūjo, tied up and suspended by a rope, was lowered from the ceiling. "Tch, freakin' bastard! The hell do ya think you're doing?!" he demanded. "What do you think, dumbass? I'm cleaning up the mess you made." the Shadow retorted. He brought out a katana. The real one began to look nervous.

"...tell me something, broads." the Shadow said. "Y'all know family is important, right? Those ties, they're not ours to break, right?" Rin thought about it. "Well, no. It's...it's the most important thing. There's always going to be a bond, even if things get really bad." "I...only just recently came to understand what family means. And I couldn't live now without it." Rose added. "See, there is. That's exactly right. There's bonds that ya can't break. And that if you do..." The Shadow put the sword up to Shūjo's neck. "...you're better off dead." "Knock it off! You know if he dies, you'll disappear too, moron!" Rin yelled. "If that's what it'll take to make everything square, then so be it." the Shadow responded. "What...?" uttered Rin.

"Where I come from...shaming your family and clan is the worst thing you could possibly do. And I want nothing more than to walk up to the elders, get on my knees and beg for forgiveness. There was a point where I still had honor. Back then, I had a crew, people that'd die for me, and who I'd die for. What do I got now? A buncha chumps with weak stomachs that can't handle seeing one body. All because my family of cowards couldn't handle it anymore. I could give two shits if it was illegal, if I went down, I'd still have my honor. I'd still have my clan's respect. I don't got jack shit now." "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Shūjo yelled. "Ya know how much it pisses me off, hearing that shit comin' outta your mouth?! I don't give a rat's ass about going back! There's nothing there for me except an early death!" "Heh. That really what ya think? Hate to break it to ya, but me even existing proves that's bull. You want nothing more than to have that honor and respect back. I know that for a fact. Cuz I am you." "No, nuh uh, no way in HELL!"

"There ain't a chance in hell that you're me!"

The Shadow put his hand to his face. "Hehehehehe...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, you're so useless, useless, USELESS! I'm you, and there's no denying it!" he growled. He was enveloped in blue flames. He emerged in the form of a green-skinned, mummified man, with his legs and left arm separate from the rest of his body, yet moving as if they weren't. He held a dagger in his right hand.

"I am a Shadow, the true self...call me Attis, god of rebirth. I must restore that which has been tarnished...atonement can only be achieved through the ultimate sacrifice...and as for you lot...the price for meddling shall be sharing in my fate!"

Flames began erupting from around the room. The Shadow launched a wave of fire towards the girls, who rolled away at the last moment. Rin broke free of her bindings, and began dodging the fire. She ran to Rose and tried untying her, before another wave of flames came towards them. Instinctively, Rin shielded Rose, taking the brunt of the hit. Rose frantically escaped from her bonds and attempted to heal the badly wounded Rin. "Shit...!" Shūjo struggled to break free, when a nearby fire managed to erode away the rope. He saw that the Shadow had dropped the katana, and grabbed it.

The Shadow floated above Rose and Rin. "How honorable that you put your comrade's safety above your own. Honorable, but pointless." He readied another attack. Shūjo stepped in front, blade drawn. "Really? Are you really going to come at me with only that?" the Shadow chided. "'Course not. I'm just gonna make a point." Shūjo then put the sword against his stomach. "Wait, what are you--" the Shadow said in a strangely panicked manner. "You said it yourself, right? I have to die to make everything square. You don't got any objections, do you?" "I...I don't..." "Heh, just like I thought. You're full of shit after all!" "I'm...that isn't--" Before the Shadow could react, he was kneed across the face by a healed Rin. She propelled herself above him, then struck him to the ground with her spear. She put the edge of it to his throat. "Guess you're not that willing to play martyr, huh?" she taunted. The Shadow returned to his base form.

"I'm having a hard time understanding...why would you demand to be killed, yet be so fearful at the sight of it?" Rose asked. "...I'm the shame of the yakuza. A real gangster wouldn't turn his back on his men. He wouldn't fear death. Death is the only way to repent...it's the only way for her to be safe..." Rin perked up. "Her? You mean Hiyoko?" "I seek death to restore my honor, but I'm scared to die. Me being gone would keep Hiyoko from being hurt because of me, but then who's to say someone won't hurt her for something else? I can't stand it...what does any of it even mean?!"

"It means we're weak." Shūjo said bluntly. "JoJo?" Rin said. "I make it sound like I was some remorseless badass. Truth is, I could never stomach the gangster life. I just wanted to spend time out on the water, play a few games, make sure Hiyoko was happy. I saw an out and I welcomed it. But when you're brought up with that kind of code, it eats away at you. I saw how much me leaving pissed off Kaido. I wondered if maybe letting him end me would really set things right. But that'd just be taking the easy way out. There's still a battle to fight. And even if I'm weak, it's not in my blood to shy away from a fight. I'm gonna make things square, but the right way. I'll make my own path, and I'll keep my soul along the way." The Shadow nodded, and disappeared into a ball of light, floating to Shūjo, who regained his captain's garb.

"Hey. Thanks for the assist. What he said about guys that have your back was wrong. I know who I've got behind me. And it's good to know that if something did happen to me, that Hiyoko would still have people to look after her. And that you wouldn't let anything slide. That's what any good leader does for their guys. Which reminds me...thought I saw it somewhere..." Shūjo scoured around, to Rin and Rose's confusion. "Ah, right. Here we go."

Shūjo brought over a bottle of sake and a single cup. "This might be breaking tradition a bit, doin' this with a girl I'm not getting married to but, eh, what the hell. Sentiment's still there." "Hang on. Is that what I think it is?" Rin asked. "Yep. Sworn brotherhood, or...something. Too much?" "Oh, no no no. I-I'm flattered. I just didn't realize you thought so highly of me..." "What, ya kiddin'? You're the one that talked me into being honest. I'd still be a grouchy old bum pretending I didn't have feelings if ya hadn't given me the talk. You made me remember who the real me was. That's enough for me." Rin started blushing. "W-well, if you insist..." Shūjo poured the sake, and the two took turns drinking it. "There we go. From now on...I'm your dutiful minion for life." Shūjo expressed. "I...wouldn't go that far. Just friends would be OK." "Whatever you say, Apple-sama."

The place shook, and the bright light appeared once more. Rin and Rose reappeared in the pit of doors. "So...I'm a yakuza grandmaster now? Is that what this is?" Rin asked. "I don't think that's it at all." Rose said bluntly. "Well, anyway, that's two down. I don't have good feelings about the ones we have left..." "I know. There must be a lot of buried resentment behind the remaining doors. But we have no choice but to clear them. The Fool's path is one fraught with danger." "Yeah, I know. But still..." Rin stared at the next door, which bore an image of Jin, wrapped in a brown hood and holding a lantern. "I don't have good feelings about what's behind that one."

\---

The pair were transported in front of the entrance to a cave, lying on a snowy mountain. The entrance was lit by a pair of torches on each side. "Hunh. Wasn't this a prison the last time?" Rin asked. "Clearly the contents of his cognition have changed. I would expect something far worse than a devil in a suit this time around." Rose answered. The two walked into the cave.

The cave's halls were lit up by torches. What was peculiar was the lack of any sound, either by their footsteps, water dropping onto rock, or anything else. Rin opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out, much to her surprise. Rose attempted the same, and got the same result. As they walked further, they came across a message carved into the cave wall. "What it's like being me.", it read. The pair knew what that meant. They pressed on.

They eventually reached a wall of rock that blocked the path forward. As they tried to find a way past it, lights began glowing on the surface of the wall. The lights flashed all the letters of the alphabet, and above them, a question.

"The Give a Damn Test, Question #1: Who do I love more than anyone else in the world?"

Rin and Rose looked at each other. Rose took the hint, and pressed the lights, spelling out "Tenko Kitsunezaru". After finishing, the wall slowly, silently rose up. They pressed onward, reaching another lit-up wall. Another question appeared.

"The Give a Damn Test, Question #2: What's my favorite game ever?"

Rin thought about the answer. She went back to when they went to the Yokos' game store. There was one game that they refused to take, knowing how special it was. She spelled out "Final Fantasy 4". The wall rose up. Nervously, they proceeded forward.

They then reached another wall, and another question appeared.

"The Give a Damn Test, Question #3: What killed my father?"

The girls looked at each other. Jin had never explicitly told anyone how his father had died. They toiled over the answer for several minutes. Rose tried thinking of anything that could hint to what the cause was. She recalled several times when Jin seemed despondent and agitated for no apparent reason. She thought long and hard about what these times had in common. Each time, someone nearby was holding something. This was the only thing Rose could think of.

She typed out "Cigarettes".

The wall rose up. An entranceway lied beyond it. The girls walked through.

As they entered the room, they could hear their footsteps. "Is that it? We can talk again now?" Rin asked. "It would appear so." Rose answered. The room itself was dimly lit, with a raised platform similar to a stage at the end of it. On the stage, underneath a spotlight, was Jin, on his knees looking down. "There he is!" exclaimed Rin. Suddenly, a boulder came down behind them, blocking the entrance. Then, an ominous whistle echoed out.

The Shadow, garbed again in a black leather jacket, jeans and a red neckerchief, appeared. "Pissin' our pants yet?" he said. "Boy, do I got a feelin' we're getting close. What's wrong? Forgot what I sounded like? Unlike this sad sack over here, I've still got the gift of gab. Even with that, I wanted to give you ladies a taste of what a silent hell feels like. Boy, it ain't good at all, is it?" "It's the worst, Jin. I'm sorry you have to endure this." Rin answered. "Oh, I bet you are. Cuz I mean, it's not like I only got this way cuz of your scarlet stalker, right? Nah, that ain't it at all." "Don't start. It wasn't Rin's fault." Rose asserted. "Oh, I know that. I've got no one to blame but myself."

"This is what I get for tryin' to be all social. I might've been better off locking myself away in my room, or lettin' that sales bullshit kill me. But then I had to get all sentimental, had to let people sweet talk me into bein' someone I'm not. And now look. I finally stick my neck out for somebody..." The Shadow removed his neckerchief, revealing a large scar across his neck. "...and this is the thanks I get?"

"Then y'all had to come barging in here. Even had the nerve to give so much of a damn as to get my questions right. The worst thing you could do is care about my quiet ass. All it leads to is trouble. So, if ya don't mind me asking, please piss off. I'm better off by myself." "You're wrong..." The Shadow turned around. "I don't want to be alone anymore..." Jin said through his tablet. The Shadow smirked. "That so? Even after all this, ya still think being around people's the best thing? Ya really that dense?" "I like being around my friends." "Oh, I believe it. But likin' something and it bein' good for ya are two totally different things. Just ask Dad." "Don't you dare talk about my father, you bastard. Who the hell do you think you are?" "Well, I'm you. Duh. I'm the part of you that gets it. Ya understand that much, don't you?" "You're...you're not..." "Don't say it!" Rin yelled out. "No. Let him vent. This needs to happen." Rose asserted.

The Shadow's gaze turned darker. He smirked. "So that's the way it's gonna be, huh?" He got up, then turned to the girls. "I thought I told y'all to piss off. Dad taught me never to hit girls. But shooin' you out of here won't count as hitting. No one comes in here and flips my shit switch without consequences. NO. EXCEPTIONS." Blue flames engulfed the Shadow. He emerged as a figure garbed in pitch-black ninja-style attire, with a dark kitsune mask, glowing orange slits for eyes, and wielding a double-bladed staff with the edges shaped like crescent moons.

"I am a Shadow, the true self. I am Ongyo-ki, master of illusion and subterfuge. Those who would disturb my peace shall pay a heavy price." Suddenly, numerous copies of him sprouted up around the girls. "Now, disappear!"

The copies all began to swarm the girls. Rin jabbed at them, but they would disappear as soon as they were struck. Rose blasted them with a ray of light, but more kept appearing as soon as one was defeated. The originak Shadow stood before Jin. "We could end this right here, Jin. You don't have to keep protecting them. We don't need people, never have." "What about Tenko? You saying we don't need her?" "She doesn't need us. The less she'd have to worry about, the better. And all we give her is worry. Trust me, it's best for everyone." "No, it's not. All I hear out of you is bitter garbage. If I'm such a horrible person, then why would anyone want to be around me? Why would Rin and Rose be here? You want me to be honest? There's about a million things I'd change about myself. And my luck can be absolute garbage. But...I want to be around people. Not bottled away, spending the time hating myself. What happened to us sucks, it sucks a lot. It isn't a reason to shut them out." "They're the ones that brought the bastard here!" "The bastard brought himself. You're blaming the wrong people, here. I'd never turn my back on them. Because...because Dad wouldn't want us wallowing in misery."

The copies stopped appearing. The girls turned to the stage. "What you want is revenge, right? I'll let you have it. But it's gotta be on the right people. Next time I see that gun-toting shit, he isn't walking away. And you're gonna help me. Deal?" The Shadow nodded. He disappeared into light, and connected with Jin, who returned to his black-hooded appearance.

"Hey, you two. Sorry you had to deal with that craziness. Thanks again, for everything. You guys were the first people I met other than Tenko that didn't think I was weird. I guess...the other me had a hard time believing it could be real. But I'm through with the doubting. I'm following you 'til the end of the line. And I'm buying y'all as many plushies as you can handle." Rin was startled. "As many...as we can handle?" "That...that level of fluffiness is making my head spin." said a blushing Rose. "Hehehe. I'll make Pokemaniacs out of you yet. It's a promise from your resident teddy bear." Jin said with a wink.

The room disappeared in a flash of light. The girls were back in the pit full of doors. "Uh, Rose? Something wrong?" Rin asked. Rose was lost in thought. "So...so much fluffy..." she mumbled. "Oh, boy. Least I know what her weakness is. Hey, Earth to Rose. We've still got work to do." "Oh, my, y-yes. Sorry, that was rather embarrassing..." "Don't sweat it. We gotta keep it together. Cuz we're going from one can of worms to another..." The door in front of them bore an image of Hiyoko sitting on a throne, an ornate crown on her head. They entered.

\---

Rin found herself standing behind a podium, in a room where numerous podiums formed a circle. Rose was beside her. "The heck is this? Looks like some kind of trial room..." Rin wondered. Rose looked over at the witness' chair. "Look, Rin..." Sitting there was Hiyoko. "You two...? What's going on? Where are we...?" "Silence. You're not to speak out of turn in my courtroom." a distorted voice bellowed out.

Sitting in the judge's chair was another Hiyoko, her hair down, garbed in black and white attorney's attire, and bearing those familiar yellow eyes. "Such rude behavior is unbecoming of a lady. Wouldn't you agree, Hiyoko 'Kagetora'?" "...." "Hrm. Taking a vow of silence rather than risk saying the wrong thing. How very much like our mother." The statement made Hiyoko cringe.

"Hey, what's the big idea? What's with the courtroom setup?" Rin demanded. "It would seem manners truly are a foreign concept to some. I'd expected better from a supposed prodigy, Ms. Kubo. Oh well. To answer your question, this is where I'll be judging my 'real self' on her decision making. To be precise...you're going to convince me of why I should continue with this deranged quest of yours." "'Deranged'?" Rose questioned.

"I'm going to keep it simple. You all convince me that this is the right path, and I'll let you all free. Enrage me further, and I'll execute you both on the spot. Don't waste my time." "Execute...?!" uttered a surprised Rin.

"First question. Why should I continue to endanger myself for the sake of your battles, Ms. Kubo?" "It's not for my sake alone, Hiyoko. You should know that by now. The Reaper is a very real danger to a lot of people. Did you forget about what he did to your own mother?" Rin responded. "Ah, but of course. That brings me to my next point. Why should I be upset by that?" "Huh?"

The Shadow turned to Hiyoko. "Are you really so unaware that you've convinced yourself that that hag is worth avenging? Do you not remember the nightly prayer rituals to expunge our demons? Abandoning us to indulge in her hypocritical vices? Are you really trying to convince people that you didn't feel even the slightest bit of relief seeing her head in that box?" "I'm...I'm nowhere near being so barbaric or vindictive." Hiyoko asserted. "Keep telling yourself that. On to the next question."

"Tell me something. Is it really so wise to drag someone so ill around such dangerous places? Are the hospital visits not enough?" Her hand began to shake slightly. "Is the denial of the one thing I desire most not enough?" "Hiyoko...I didn't realize this still hurt you so much. You opened up to me before, that even with your body's limitations, as long as you had JoJo and the kids from the orphanage, that you'd be okay. And I don't recall ever forcing you to come along with us." Rin said. "On top of that, when I took you to Tartarus the first time, I never sensed any sort of reservation from you. This has all been of your own free will." Rose added.

The Shadow's hand continued to shake. "What's the matter? That wall of confidence have a few cracks?" Rin asked. "N-next point. This one will be my last, and then I'm passing judgement. What benefit has come from my associating with you all?" Before Rin could answer, Hiyoko spoke up. "She gave me a family." she said. "To be exact, she gave me two. Our group is the first. And then, she led me to the family I thought I would never find. She allowed me to discard my mother's name once and for all. I can finally live free of that woman's shadow." The Shadow grew agitated. "That girl has only led us to despair. And the family she led you to? The man whose name you took on? A fraud and a criminal. No better than the harpy. Why won't you just accept that this girl is a danger to everyone she comes near?!" "Because it isn't true. And nothing you could say could convince me otherwise." "You little...! I'm not some complete stranger putting words in your mouth. I'm every thought you've ever had. I'm you, you brat!" "I have a hard time believing that."

The Shadow's aura flared up. "You know what...to hell with the judgement. I'm proceeding to the execution." Blue flames enveloped the Shadow. What emerged, floating in the air, was a blonde, barefoot woman garbed in a green dress, with transparent wings.

"I am a Shadow, the true self. I am Titania, queen of the faeries. Those who would defy my will shall be met with divine punishment. Beginning with those who would willingly bring harm to those already scarred by the whims of fate."

She began to exude a nuclear aura. Before she could attack, a voice stopped it. "That's quite enough of that." Hiyoko said. "What did you just say? You still want to object?" "I want to clarify. I can see why you're so upset. Everything's been happening so quickly. I latched onto the Kagetora name because it was my way to distance myself from mother permanently. And I'll admit...there was a part of me that was glad she couldn't hurt me anymore. But I still mourned...I mourned for what could have been. But I realize something now. In some insane way, I should thank my mother. For letting me find my own, true place in the world. I never would have met JoJo, or the rest of the group, and I never would have found my family. I would probably still be suffering, or worse. So...I understand your confusion, and your anger. But it is sorely misplaced. I don't regret anything. I'm completely happy with where I am. Is that a good enough answer for you?" The Shadow turned back to normal. She gave a contented sigh, and nodded, before vanishing into light. Hiyoko was garbed in her hooded attire once more.

Hiyoko walked over to Rin, and grabbed her hand. "You have my undying gratitude, Rin. You've given me the chance to know what family truly is. You've given me my name. I know that what we're dealing with is terrifying. But this life, I wouldn't trade it for anything. So you have me at your service from now and beyond. It's the least I can do. And..." She winked. "I stand by what I said back then. Any child of yours will be insanely lucky. But that's something for another time. For now..." The room shook, and the light appeared.

The girls appeared before the final door. "Last one, huh..." Rin uttered. The door bore an image of Jugo lifting up a lion with his bare hands. "This one should be intriguing. Someone with his fortitude, what could his heart be hiding..." Rose wondered. "Only one way to find out." The girls entered.

\---

The girls found themselves in an abandoned town, not unlike what one would see in an Old Western movie. "Boy I'm glad there's no one else here. We'd stick out like a sore thumb." Rin said. "I'm fully expecting a tumbleweed to pass by at any moment." Rose added. The girls approached a saloon. "This is where all the trouble goes down in westerns. If there's one thing that's never changed about humans, it's alcohol not being far from insanity." Rin said.

The girls entered the saloon. Sitting at the bar, with his back to the door, was a young man in dark cowboy attire. On the back of his vest was an image of a pair of pistols crossing each other in an 'X' shape. "In case y'all were wondering, those guns would be the Colt Single Action Army. Otherwise known as--" "The Colt .45. Fitting." Rose interjected. "Smart girl. My ma got my pa into Westerns back before I was born. 'Shijūgo' was a cheeky nod on their part. Translated a lot better than 'Clint', methinks." He rose up, and turned to the girls. It was indeed Jugo, with the familiar yellow eyes. "So...what can I do for you ladies?"

"Where's your real self, Jugo?" Rin asked. "Oh. Him. I was just about to go pay him a visit. See, I've got a real dilemma on my hands I was hopin' you ladies could help me with. Follow me." The Shadow walked out of the room. The girls looked at each other, before following.

The Shadow brought them to the center of town. Tied to a post was the real Jugo. "Could you please untie this thing? I have to pee." he asked. The Shadow pointed a revolver at Jugo. "Don't worry, pal. You won't have to in a minute. So ladies, I've got a bit of an issue here. And y'all are the only ones that can settle it for me." "Okay...what do you want?" Rose asked.

"Growing up, my folks taught me about discipline, about followin' the rules. They taught me that the law's the law, no matter how unfair it seems. The people makin' the laws obviously got there for a reason. But...this whole 'changing hearts' business...it goes against all of that. I disobeyed my superior's orders for the first time ever, and cuz of that...that superior's dead. And he ain't the only one. So my question is...is this thing we're doing the right thing? Would the ending to this whole thing justify everything it's cost us? Is changing people against their will really OK?" Rin pondered a response. "I'm sorry. I know this goes against a lot of your principles, Jugo. But what else can we do? Let some crooks with too much power run around doing whatever they want, knowing they're in the perfect spot to dodge consequences? I'm gonna regret all the pain that's come from this forever. But this needs to be done."

"Hmph. Doin' the 'wrong' thing for the 'right' reasons. Well at the end of the day, it's still the 'wrong' thing. And doin' the wrong thing comes with consequences. For you and and everyone around ya. Just ask Hiyoko and Jin what doin' the wrong thing's brought 'em." the Shadoe said. "I don't give a damn if it's the wrong thing. Letting a murderer run around would be even worse." Jugo interrupted. "Oh, come on. It ain't our fight, Jugo. Just let the proper authorities deal with him. He'll slip up sooner or later." "Not this one. Not with his planning, and not with his power set. We're the only ones equipped to win this." "You trying to tell me the justice system we've been raised to respect ain't good enough? Well I don't buy it. The real you doesn't buy it." "You aren't the real me, genius."

The Shadow's mood darkened. "Awww, now you've gone and hurt my feelings. Tell ya what I'm gonna do. Hey, red. Whaddya say we settle this mano-a-mano? I'll only take on someone with guts as my superior. Prove that this stunt's worth it. If ya can." The Shadow surrounded itself in blue flames. Emerging from the flames was a goateed figure, wearing a tattered black kimono with a design resembling a mulberry plant across his back. He wielded a katana in one hand, a pistol in the other.

"I am a Shadow, the true self. I am Sanjuro, the Ronin with No Name. Prove to me that you are worthy of being called 'master'. Prove to me that this is a battle that can be won!"

Rin drew her spear. "Put away the gun and let's fight fair and square." she asserted. "Fine. Then you can't use your backup." the Shadow responded. "Won't even need it." Rin answered. She turned to Rose. "I'll be fine. I've been taking some pointers from Tenko on fighting against someone with a sword." Rose nodded. "I have supreme confidence in you, sister."

The Shadow lunged at Rin, who blocked without turning. "Attacking while my back's turned. That's some prime honor right there." "You should know never to turn your back to someone intending to kill you. How could anyone possibly follow someone who'd make such novice errors?" "I blocked it, didn't I?" The Shadow continued his assault, with Rin blocking every attack. "Why aren't you fighting back? Are you that much of a coward?" Rin didn't respond. Tenko's words echoed. "You can tell your opponent's getting frustrated when they try the same motion over and over again. Try to watch their movements, find the weak point in their motion. Impatience is the enemy of any swordsman."

The Shadow continued attacking. Then, when he raised his sword once more, Rin acted quickly. She jabbed him in the side with the blunt end of her spear, stunning him. She then used the spear to swat away his sword, before sweeping his legs, causing him to fall over. She withdrew her spear. "Better luck next time, kimosabe." She went to untie Jugo. "Rose, you wanna give me a hand here?" Rose went to her. The Shadow rose back up, and drew his pistol. "I told you...never to turn your back to me!" He fired at Rin. Then, Izanami appeared behind her, catching the bullet. Rin sighed. "Learn how to take a loss, buddy."

After being untied, Jugo walked over to the Shadow, who'd returned to his earlier form. "I'm not gonna sit here and deny that I've been conflicted. Rules are rules, after all. But it's like they said. Some people can't be punished with how the rules are nowadays. This is a war that needs to be fought. The right way. Not by attacking someone with their back turned like a coward. She beat you fairly, so accept it and accept that she's in charge. I don't have any problems following her orders. So suck it up and let's finish this war together. Got it?" The Shadow nodded, and disappeared into light. Jugo took on his camouflage garb.

"Doing the right thing isn't always gonna be easy. But I know that what we're doing is just. And...I couldn't ask for a better commanding officer to lead us. I'll follow you no matter what. To hell and back, if that's what it'll take. Use me however you see fit, Boss." "Well, I wouldn't say 'use' is the word I'd go with, but I'm glad you're on-board with this. We'll get this done, all of us will. I know it." Rin said. Jugo gave a salute. "Roger that." The light flashed, and the girls found themselves in the living room of their cabin.

The others were all gathered there. "So...what was all that about, Rosie?" Tenko asked. "I'm sorry for the hasty decision. But when the time comes to face the harshest challenges, we need everyone prepared. In terms of power, and mindset. Even the slightest bit of doubt could jeopardize everything. So I wanted to clear you all of lingering misgivings." Rose replied. "Well I'm not complaining. Every hero's gotta have a power-up." Jin said. "So we're all on the same page. I can think of one way we can celebrate." Jugo added. Hiyoko looked at her watch. "Oh, it's almost time for the festival! We'd all better hurry." The group scattered.

A short while later, Rin had changed into her yukata. She heard a knock at her door. Rose stood there, wearing a velvet yukata. "On brand as usual, I see." Rin said with a smirk. "I learn from my family." Rose replied with a light smile. "Hey, I'm having a little trouble putting this in my hair, could you help?" she asked, holding a rose. "Yeah, of course."

"So, you did exceptionally well helping everyone today. I can tell how much trust they have in you." "Oh, please. I barely did anything. They helped themselves more than anything I did." "Even if that's the case, they all expressed their gratitude and trust in you. Dangerous as the mission is, and they don't have any more reservations. Clearly you've done something right by them." "You're really overexaggerating. I'm just being me. If anything, I should be the grateful one. If I didn't have you guys around, I'd still be moping by myself in my room. Aaaaand done." "Mmm. Beautiful. Thank you, Rin." "No, Rose. Thank you." The girls departed shortly after.

As they walked away from the cabin, meeting with the rest of the group, a gaze fell upon them. Sitting on top of the cabin, unbeknownst to the group, was the familiar red-hooded figure of the Reaper. Behind him, a portal opened up. He turned to it. "So, how's it feel? Like you never left it, right?" He looked to the group. "Gotta say, she's gotten real chummy with that lot. Hell, looks like she's even found a replacement. Gotta burn up the old ego, huh? Not that you'd give a damn." The Reaper began eating from a bag of potato chips. "It's getting close, right? Once they drop the hammer on Ishimaru, it's all but done. All I've gotta do is, ugh...have them find out who I am. It's gonna suck, but if you're on the money, the world we're gonna make is gonna be so worth it." The Reaper started to chuckle. "Oh, it's gonna be one hell of a new year!"

The figure revealed himself. Dark hair, glasses, and a hooded Naruku Ascension blazer. Hands behind his back, he smirked, a glow in his glasses.

"Ain't that right, Tohru-sama?"


	13. "God is Dead"

JANUARY 15, 2020

RUNAWAY GAMES

"Well, hey there, Rin-chan. Long time no see." said Sakura. Rin was holding Beguru, the cat purring loudly with every pet. "Guess this lump missed you." "Guess so. I've wanted one around the house forever, but my brother has allergies. I dunno how a body could resist this level of fluff, but I'm not God, so..." "Well, poopie. So I'm guessing you're not just here about the cat?" Rin turned red. "M-maybe a little...okay, that isn't it. I actually came here for a game recommendation..." "Oh, really? You didn't strike me as the gaming type." "Well, that's just it. Jin and Tenko got me a Switch for Christmas, but I've got no idea what games to get for it. I've realized by now that fighting games aren't my forte, if my 0-56 record against Jin is any indication."

Sakura pondered for a moment. "How about a visual novel? I think that'd be right up your alley. There's no real combat involved, they're mainly about following the story, interacting with people, solving mysteries, that sort of thing." "That sounds like it'd be fun. Got anything you'd recommend?" "Hmmm...I think the Ace Attorney Trilogy would be a safe bet. The series is about being a defense attorney and solving crimes. You'd think it wouldn't be much fun, but the cases are great, and the characters are as charming as any you'll find. I've got a physical copy around here somewhere...you've just gotta promise me one thing." "What's that?" "Don't kidnap my cat." "...okay, deal."

Rin walked out of the store, game in hand and short one cat. As she walked back to the dorms, she got a message on her phone. "Got a lead. Call me ASAP. - U. Kagetora" As she started to dial, she bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry about tha--" she began, before realizing who she'd bumped into: Kyohei Ishimaru. He looked unkempt, with bags under his eyes, and he had a nervous aura around him.

"Y-you...!" Rin uttered. She expected a snide remark, a grandiose proclamation of some kind. What he did next caught her by surprise. He grabbed her shoulders. "Please...help me..." "What...?" He began to shake. "He's going to kill me...if you all clear my heart he'll kill me like he did to Mishima and Hibiki. I'm not the one in control anymore...I don't think I ever really was. I know you have no reason to trust me, at all, but I don't want to die...you've seen what that lunatic is capable of. You know the sway that I have. When I say that I'm afraid for my life, I mean it." Rin paused. "Tell me...who is the Reaper?" "He...if I tell you directly, I'll be dead within the hour. He's too good at covering his tracks...but I beg of you, please put an end to him. I'll confess to everything when I know it's safe...please..." He sulked away. Rin didn't know how to respond. She resumed walking back to the dorms.

Rin called her friends over. "Wait, seriously? He asked you to help him?" asked Shūjo. "Yeah. 'Begged' might be more appropriate, though." Rin replied. "Shit, what I'd give to have seen that." Shūjo said with a smirk. "He's really that afraid of the Reaper? But I thought they were working together." Jugo questioned. "That's what I thought. Something's obviously changed. He looked spooked. I think he's actually afraid he might die." "This is so obviously a trap. Soon as we agree to help, that red bastard's gonna come leaping out to take us all down. I don't buy it for a second." Tenko said. "I thought so too. But a guy with his ego, begging for help? I don't think he could fake that. I think we need to make the Reaper our number one priority. Because...I don't want another body on our consciences. Whatever Ishimaru's sins are, we'll deal with later. And also...Ms. Kagetora has some new info for us." Rin explained. "Hiyoko, want to call her up?" "Alright. No arguments here." Hiyoko said. "Put her on speaker."

Hiyoko called her aunt. "Hello?" "Hey, Ms. Kagetora. I've got you on speaker. You've got something for us?" asked Rin. "That I do. So, I was looking through any incidents involving anyone within your age group. I found something that sounds like it would be within your Reaper's wheelhouse." "Okay. Hit us." "So...about three years ago, there was a fire that hit an apartment building here in Karakura. Whole place was burned to a crisp. Police suspected arson, but since nobody made it out of the building, they could never confirm with anyone." "Shoot, I remember hearing about that. Over fifty people died. Didn't they identify which room it started in?" Jugo asked. "I was just getting to that. The apartment it started in was owned by one Nobuchiyo Yamatsu. He lived there with his 13-year old son, Nobuhiro."

The name caused Rin to freeze. "Rin? What's the matter?" asked Rose. "That name...I...I've heard it before. I knew him, a long time ago..." "Wait, seriously? Well, what was he like?" asked Jin. "Well, I don't remember a whole lot, since I was only five, but...I remember him always staring at me. He would call me a princess, and followed me around. I thought he was creepy, even then. Just something about him made my skin crawl. He just vanished after that year, and I never even gave him a thought til now..." "Good God. This has to be it. Aunt Umi, what happened to Nobuhiro?" Hiyoko asked. "Well, here's where it gets weird. His body was never found. But his father's was. But the really bizarre thing about it...was that his father's body disappeared from the morgue. No one could figure out how the thief got in and out without detection. It was the most bizarre thing." "If he's who we think he is, then we know how he could've done it..." Rose said. "He had his abilities even then? Good grief." Shūjo added.

"There's something I don't get, though." Jin spoke up. "Like okay, this Nobuhiro guy fits everything to a T. But...we keep hearing that the Reaper's part of the junior class. If he's our age, why would he be in a class above ours?" "Maybe he had good enough grades to skip an entire level? Faked his age, maybe? It's not unheard of." Tenko replied. "Probably changed his name and appearance, too. How do we even find who he is now?" Jugo asked. "Glad you asked. It turns out our Reaper wasn't so thorough in his younger days. The father's DNA was taken before his body vanished. I was able to have it tested against a few of the younger junior students and...there was a familial match. And you're right. He changed his name, and his appearance looks drastically different from surviving photographs of Nobuhiro. And according to records, his grades before entering the academy were so good that he was able to skip freshman year altogether." "I'll be damned. He found a way to keep up in school between being a murdering psychopath. Who the hell is this guy?" Shūjo asked. "I'm sending Rin the link right now."

Rin opened the email on her phone. She stood silently, staring at the face of her murderous tormentor. And it was a face she recognized. She started to shake. The others looked over her shoulder, all of them stunned by what was in the link. "Are you shitting me?!" exclaimed Shūjo. "Him?! He's the bastard?!" Tenko added. "I...I've been played for a sap this whole time. All of us have. I just didn't see it..." said Jugo.

Rin put her phone away and started out the door. "Wait, Rin! We need a game plan! We can't just go running at him as we are now!" Rose called out. "Oh, yes I can. All this time, he was right there. You know he could be watching us right now. He could run for the hills at any moment if he knows that we know. We can't let him get away, not now. I'm going to end this." Rin asserted. "Then we're going with you. This is our battle too. Seven-on-one sounds like good odds. And this time, we'll be jumping him." Tenko said.

Rin looked at her friends. "Everyone. Thank you. You've been the best partners a girl could ask for. Now...let's finish what we started, once and for all." Everyone nodded. They made their way out the door.

Nearby, a man observed from a rooftop. The moon was at his back, despite it still being daylight out. Farquhar bore a look of concern. "At last...the endgame approaches." He vanished.

\---

YAMADA CAFÉ

Yūji took the garbage out to the back of the café. Kamiya and Shinji were with him. "Seriously man, think about it. A street brawler and a ninja." said Kamiya. "Hmm, not bad. We can hunt down a Mad Gear gang leader." Shinji said. "Yes! We can call it Final...something." "I think we're sitting on a goldmine, dude." Yūji rolled his eyes. "Hey, Yūji! Wanna join in? We can have you as the wrestling mayor. You'd be a hit!" Kamiya said. "I don't see any reality where that would happen." Yūji grumbled. "But you'd be co-starring with us." Shinji asserted. "Exactly." Yūji said.

As they continued, a figure emerged from the shadows. "Evening, boys." It was Rin, with her hair down, and a look of longing in her eyes. "I had a hankering for some tea, but, looks like I waited a bit too late." she said, cutely brushing her hair with her hands. "Oh, Rin. You caught me by surprise. Where's the rest of the team?" Yūji asked. "Off doing their own thing. I wanted to stop by cuz, I just wanted to give my thanks." "Well, I appreciate any sort of thanks, but what for, exactly?"

She approached Yūji in a flirty manner. "Oh, you know...just for having such a comfy meeting spot. And making the best tea in town. Doesn't that earn just a tiny bit of thanks?" She gave him a hug. Yūji bore a confused look. "Umm, Rin-chan...you feeling alright?" Shinji asked. "Oh, I've never been better. I've had...an epiphany. You don't know who's gonna disappear tomorrow, so it's best to let people know how much they've affected you. Like you, Shinji. Was awful nice of you to set Jin up with his voice box. It takes a real creep to do that to a guy, so being reminded that there's good people in the world counts for a lot." She embraced a confused Shinji. Rin opened her eyes in a stern manner.

"Something the matter, Kamiya?"

Kamiya bore a frustrated look. He clenched his fist. Realizing he'd been noticed, he dropped the look. "Oh, uh, nope. Just, uh, ate a sour candy. Drives the old taste buds crazy." he said. "Aww, you don't have to be so shy. I was about to get to you. That was a pretty angry look for just a piece of candy, though. Almost...jealous?" "Jealous? Pfft. I mean, you're a pretty girl, don't get me wrong, but--" "It's gotta drive you nuts, right?" She approached Kamiya. She put her hand to his heart. "Hunh. You got some kind of condition? That's a pretty crazy heart rate you've got going there. I mean, yikes." "I uh, just lifted something heavy. Right, guys?" "Kamiya, you haven't done heavy lifting all day. What's going on?" Shinji said.

Rin stared into Kamiya's eyes. "You know...I hadn't seen that look in almost 12 years. Just, that puppy dog look. You can change your looks, your name...but that lovey-dovey look in your eyes still sticks. It'd be cute if I didn't know what was behind it." A bead of sweat rolled down Kamiya's face. "Know what the look's telling me now? 'Sheesh, how'd she ever find me out?' That sound about right? It helps to have the right people in place to help." She stayed close to him. "You must've felt so powerful. Being close enough to spy on me, yet far enough away that you'd never look suspicious. It must've given you such a kick. But here's the thing. You should've known that you made a mistake somewhere. But it happened years ago, so why worry about it? Well, guess what...you should've worried about it. Nobuhiro." Kamiya began to turn pale.

"What is she talking about? Who's Nobuhiro?" Yūji asked. Rin leaned in close. "I'm just gonna say this. I don't care where you got these powers. I don't care about what made you this way. You hurt my family, my friends, and me. All I care about now, is getting in close like this, and telling you..." She whispered in his ear. "...you lose."

She stepped away. His eye began to twitch. He started to smirk. He turned away, and then burst into uncontrollable laughter. He turned back around. "Hey, Shinji. I'm gonna have to take a rain check on that TV pilot." He turned to Rin. "Clever bitch." He quickly drew a revolver from seemingly nowhere, only for Shūjo to appear and tackle him. Rose appeared next to a shocked Yūji and Shinji. "I'd advise you both to get inside." she said, and they quickly did so. Kamiya tried to grab his revolver, but Jugo appeared and kicked it away, before helping to pin him to the ground. "Not today, you son of a bitch!" Shūjo yelled. The rest of the group ran to Rin's side. "You alright?" Tenko asked. "I'm alright...totally alright." Rin answered.

Kamiya continued to struggle. "Knock it off, bastard. You've got nowhere else to run. It's over." Jugo said firmly. Kamiya snickered at this. "Over? Really? I've got some news for you lunks..." His eyes turned yellow. He let out a burst of aura that sent Shūjo and Jugo flying. He stood up, surrounded by shadowy flames. "This shouldn't be possible...how are you doing this here?!" Rose demanded. "Your pops hasn't told you shit, has he? You idiots haven't even scratched the surface. And you'll never get the chance." Kamiya made a break for it. "He's not getting away now! Let's go around, hurry!" Rin yelled. They gave chase.

Kamiya made it to the boys' dorms. He pried open a hole into the other world. "I've been made, man. It wasn't supposed to happen this quick. It's officially 'shit's gotten fucked' o'clock. Got any ideas?!" "Ishimaru. So long as he is toppled, the order of events matters not. Give them no choice but to travel there. And then, the final foundation stone will be laid out. Now, go." "Aye aye, captain." He shut the hole, and ran into the dorm.

The group arrived immediately after. "He went inside, come on!" They ran inside. Soon, they came across a wide open door that looked like it had just been kicked in. They walked in. Ishimaru lay against the wall, looking panicked. "He...he's in there...he's inside of my..." he uttered. "Dammit, we're too late. Guess there's no other option, now." Jugo said. "Rosie. You know what to do." Tenko added. "Alright. Everyone steady yourselves. He's already insanely powerful, but now we've made him desperate." Rose said. "The cornered rat will bite the cat. Just means we have to bite first. Let's end this." Rin said firmly. A door appeared, and they stepped into it.

"...I never thought I'd say this. But please, Ringo Kubo...don't let me die." Ishimaru said.

\---

The group appeared before a giant white tower in the middle of a desert. They saw that the door to the tower had a giant hole blasted in it. "Holy shit. Someone isn't playing around." Shūjo said. "Yeah. But neither are we. Come on." Rin urged. They went inside the tower.

Within the tower was a large spiral staircase encircling the entire building. After entering, the group was immediately met by a Shadow guard being dropped to the ground from up above. It had been shot numerous times, and quickly faded away. They could hear laughter echoing out. "Shit, this ain't even good target practice. No fun shooting at mindless figments...I need something with a brain." More shadow guards dropped to the bottom. "This might be cheating the rules a bit, but so what? Rules are meant for the weak to follow...ain't that right, Dad? Just gotta have a little bit of power, and the rules don't mean shit..."

"Daddy issues...typical." Jin said. "If he did sneak into the morgue, I don't want to know what he did with the body..." added Hiyoko. They ventured forward. The voice echoed out again. "Mama always said, life's like a Dragonball Z episode." An explosion could be heard. "Ya never know who's gonna get blown the fuck up." He cackled again. "Run, Rinnie, RUN!"

After several minutes, the group reached the top. There was a door that had been blown open. "I hope we aren't too late..." Rose said. They passed through the door.

Outside, Kamiya, garbed in his Reaper robes, save for having his hood down, pointed a revolver at Ishimaru's Shadow. He was garbed in a white shihakusho, and sat on a throne. "So that's the way it's gotta be, Ishi. Don't worry. Your death won't be for nothing..." Kamiya taunted. "You...what is the meaning behind this? Was my payment not enough for you?" the Shadow asked. "Sorry, bruh. But someone else's cashing my checks. And the payment's gonna be so much better than just money." "Insolent traitor...there are consequences for this kind of rebellion. Do you realize what I can do to you? Do you fear nothing?" "Nothing within your power, Ishi. Now sit tight. This'll only hurt for a while--" "Stop right there!"

The group appeared. "Tch, about time you sloths showed up. I felt myself aging waiting for you all." Kamiya griped. "Just what are you trying to do?" Rin demanded. "Umm, shooting the evil dude? Something y'all were gonna get to anyway? I should be getting thanks for this." "Thanks? You think leaving more bodies is something to be thankedfor?" Hiyoko asked. "I mean, you guys know who you're trying to save here, don't you? Mr. 'I'm gonna use this school to overthrow the government'. You know damn well this guy ain't worth saving. He'll drop like the other two, and then you'll all be thanked for getting rid of the local tyrant. I'm not seeing a downside here."

"For real, Rinnie, I can make you into the goddess I see you as. This school should be worshipping you. You're exactly what the New World's gonna need. Everything I've done was for the sake of improving your lot. Now you've just gotta let me end this four-eyed dweeb, and you'll be like a deity to the faceless masses. You'll save an entire generation from this disease. So let. Me. Shoot. Him." Kamiya said. "I'm not gonna play any part in your insane 'new world order'. I don't care about notoriety or whatever you're promising. It's worthless if it's built off the blood of others. I'm not letting you make another corpse. You're gonna get destroyed, right here, right now." Rin asserted. Kamiya cackled. "'Not gonna play a part', eh? Just give me 10 minutes." He drew his revolvers, and put up his hood. "In 10 minutes time...you won't have a choice."

He fired and struck them all, but they all vanished after being hit. "The hell?!" he exclaimed. Suddenly, Jin appeared behind him in a dark cloud of smoke. Ongyo-ki was behind him. "Boo." His Persona swung its weapon, but it was blocked by the forearm of Kamiya's own Persona. "You forget I've got one of these too?!" Kamiya yelled. "Hyperion! Crush him!" Before he could attack, he was slashed in the back. Jugo stood behind him, Sanjuro summoned forth. "We didn't forget, genius. You just don't spook us anymore." Jugo retorted. "The fuck'd you say?!" Kamiya angrily spouted.

He shot towards Jugo, only for the shots to be blocked by a wall of light. "Awww, too bad. Couldn't break it this time, eh?" Tenko taunted, Ishtar draped around her shoulders. "That right there's proof enough of what he said. Not such a big-time badass when you're fighting someone with a pulse, are ya?" "S-shut up, bitch! You're not gonna have that pulse much longer--" He tried to fire again, but Shūjo grabbed the gun. Attis was active behind him. "Y'know, we were so sure you were this hyper mega psycho that we'd never be able to touch...but you're just a little punk that got way too much power." He lit his fist alight, and delivered numerous punches to Kamiya's face. He went flying. Meanwhile, Ishimaru's Shadow hid behind his throne, cowering.

Kamiya tried getting up. He looked up, and saw Titania floating above him. "Alone we might not be able to take you on. In the shadows you're practically invincible. But out in the open, where we're more prepared?" Hiyoko said. Floating next to Titania was Kikuri-Hime. "All of your options are now moot." Rose said. Both Personas launched bursts of light towards Kamiya. Right before they connected, Tenko erected a barrier around Kamiya, containing the explosion to immediately around him.

"Get the monster out of the closet and into the light, and what is he?" Rin asked. When the smoke cleared, a heavily singed Kamiya, his garb in tatters, barely stood. He stumbled over to Rin. "I was...helping..." he said weakly. "Never asked, didn't want it, it wasn't helping." Rin responded. He tried raising his hand to her, then promptly collapsed onto his back.

"Did...did we do it?" Tenko asked. "No way, that...that really worked! These new Personas did him in!" Jin exclaimed. "I can't believe we were actually afraid of this guy." Jugo added. "Speaking of guys we were afraid of at one point..." Rin began. "Oh, Mr. President..." Ishimaru's Shadow peered out from behind the throne. "We saved your sorry hide from this looney tune. You gonna play nice from now on?" The Shadow rapidly nodded. "Gonna cop to everything and stop with the whole 'government overthrow' thing?" He rapidly nodded. "Good, good. Now scram." He nodded again, before vanishing.

"Alright, now how do we drag this sorry sack of Reese's Feces back home?" Shūjo said. "Not it." Jin replied. "This is...strange." Rose mused. "What's the matter, Rose?" Hiyoko asked. "Ishimaru's Shadow disappeared. So the Palace should be vanishing along with him. Yet..." "Now that you mentioned it, that is pretty weird. Place should've started shaking by now..." Jugo pondered. A bead of sweat went down Rin's face. "What's this feeling? We've won...why do I have this pit in my stomach? This sensation...is this..."

"...impending doom?"

A dark aura resonated for a split second. The stunned group looked behind them. A tear appeared in the sky above. It seemed to pulsate, as if it were a beating heart. A figure dropped out of the created hole.

"It's...it's finally time...it's your time now..." Kamiya grumbled weakly. Rin was dumbfounded.

"T...Tohru...?" she uttered.

\---

"Is...is this some kind of joke?" Tenko asked. "You...you tryin' to fuck with her now, bastard?!" Shūjo yelled at Kamiya. "That has to be some kind of cognition, right...?" Hiyoko asked. "I don't...I don't think it is..." Rose responded.

"Tohru...is that...really you?" Rin asked. Tohru gave a smirk. "Is it so hard to believe? This wouldn't be the first time I've defied death within this realm, would it?" Tohru retorted. "But...we saw you disappear that time...you were at peace..." Rin responded. "The minor piece of me I placed in your heart was, yes. The part of me that doubted my purpose in this world. And now that that part has been expunged, I have no further regrets." "Your purpose...what are you talking about? How are you even here?"

"That fragment of my soul told you one truth. That I had stumbled upon a portal to Tartarus prior to my demise. But I hadn't elaborated on what I had found. What awaited me within the depths of this world was something far beyond what I had imagined was possible. A being so ancient, so powerful, yet chained to the walls of this stygian hell. This being told me that he was a Titan. Something akin to a god, yet laid waste to by his own progeny. His name..." He snapped his fingers, and behind him appeared a large, monochrome figure with a large beard and runes strewn across his noir form. "Cronus. Bringer of life. Master of time. He promised me a way to achieve that which I seek." "What you seek?" "Salvation. For all mankind. From suffering. From conflict. From death."

"September 22nd, 2011. You remember that day clearly, yes? The day that Father was unjustly taken from us. It was such an awful sight for you, surely. I asked myself why it had to happen the way it did. Why the one who recognized my talents before anyone else had to die. Why...this had to happen to anybody. I couldn't accept that he was gone. But you all could so easily. Mother. Hyōtan. And you. That you could still bear that naive smile after that, sickened me. It was as if Father had never existed. And yet, you were perceived by others as the superior one between us. It dawned on me then. Death itself is a disease, a cancer. It erodes a person away, makes it so they don't exist. And then the people left behind are forced to 'move on', pretend that nothing has happened. Living as if the person you loved never existed is akin to conceiding your own powerlessness. And it frustrated me to no end." "Tohru...beings die. Life ends. There's no escaping it. It's just how it is." "That is a loser's concession, Ringo. That's exactly what I have devoted my existence to ending."

"Humans spend their entire lives fleeing from death. You hear it all the time. 'I don't want to die.' 'Why did this person die?' So on and so forth. They tell me it is inescapable. On average we'll last around 70 or 80 years on this planet, a mere speck of dust in comparison to the rest of the universe. This fleeting impermanence. You say death can't be escaped from. What if I told you...I have found a way?" Rin grew more confused. "Found a way...to escape death?"

"Upon speaking to Cronus, he told me that he could grant me the power to end the disease of death once and for all. But to attain this power, I first needed to experience the horror myself. My physical form could not handle it, but my spirit could. So he pointed towards one who had already received the power to change one's fate. The one you call Kamiya Tsurai. He would serve as my right hand, and in exchange, I would grant him untold power within my new world. A world where the masses would be free from death, free from will, free from the conflicts that have ravaged mankind since its inception. Order and calm would be absolute. And it would all be ensured by the one who they deem a hero. Which brings me...to you, my sister."

"Cronus had foreseen that bespectacled buffoon Farquhar granting you the power to change the hearts of people. So I started the process of planting obstacles in your path. Trials that would force you to gain strength. You would fall, only to rise up stronger. That is what my soul fragment was for. To bring you to such a low point that you would have no choice but to rise back up. And if that were to fail, then at least you could serve as a backup for my will. Because the people of this world demand salvation, and they will only heed the word of one whom they revere as a deity. The Reaper was to turn the populace against the advent of death. And then you, dear sister, would overcome his every trial, overcoming death at every turn. The people would embrace you. I understood that much from growing up with you. It's exactly whom the obedient populace of the new world would look to for guidance. Alongside her consort." Kamiya raised his hand. "Yo." "With untold power at your disposal, you would give rise to a new race of deities that would reshape the world into perfect balance. Earth would no longer be subjected to war or death ever again."

"This is pure nonsense!" Rose interrupted. "Why would Rin ever agree to such an insane plot?" "Seriously! Nowhere in your shitting huge monologue was there a good reason why she'd go along with it!" Shūjo yelled. "Ah, the puppet girl speaks. I had wondered who my sister had replaced me with. The kind of obedient servant who would thrive in the new world." "Shut up! I'm not Rin's servant." "Exactly what a servant would say. Hmph. As if I'd never existed."

"But the time for talking is finished. The past year of my spirit being tempered and strengthened by the Titan has granted me untold power over life and time themselves. My desires cannot be fully expressed in mere words." The Palace shook, and a light emanated from seemingly nowhere. The group found themselves transported to the front of the Academy, back in their school uniforms. "We're back here?! How the--" Tenko exclaimed. The ground began to shake. "E-everyone! Look!" Rose said, pointing towards the sky.

The sky turned red. The buildings all turned an eerie shade of green. And in the center of town, a giant building arose from the ground, destroying everything above it. "That building...that's...Tartarus?!" Rose exclaimed. A distorted laugh could be heard behind them. "Indeed...the fortress of the planet's cognition now lies in full view." said a distorted voice. Tohru floated down before the group. A shadowy aura radiated around him, and his eyes glowed yellow. "I have enacted the process of fusing the cognitive world with the real world. Now with fantasy being combined with reality, thus begins the end of humanity's ability to control their own thoughts. The world I desire is now within my grasp! And as for you, sister..." "Tohru, stop it, please! This plan of yours is going to destroy everything, not make it better! You can't just destroy the order of things like this!" Rin pled. "I can, I have, and I will. And as for why you would agree to governing over mankind as a goddess..."

He put two fingers together. "It's because you won't have anything here to keep you attached to the current world." He snapped his fingers.

Time itself came to a standstill. Everything, from the people, to the cars, wind, water, everything stopped completely. Rin opened her eyes. "What have you done, Tohru...?" she asked. "I've ceased this planet's movements, save for those who remain defiant in their hearts to my cause. I'll not let this world degrade any further than it already has. And as for those who reject my will..."

"I'm...I'm feeling faint..." Hiyoko grogged. "Hiyoko? What's wrong? Another fainting spe--gh!" Jugo began, before falling to his knees. The others all followed suit, save for Rin. "Guys?! What's wrong?!" Rin exclaimed. "A life of immortality becomes all the more torturous when one is bonded to the mortal realm. So rather than concern yourself with a select few, I'm freeing up your ability to focus on the whole of mankind." Tohru explained. "This is...Torhu, just stop...I don't want this..." "Life is about making the difficult choices, sister. A deity must be devoted to the needs of the many over the few. So those with rebellion in their hearts, those whose hearts reject the new world, and those whom you have bonded with...must disappear."

"D-disappear? We're going to--" Hiyoko began, before turning into shadow and dissipating. "Hiyoko!" Shūjo exclaimed. "Dammit to hell...! Is this...really it--gah!" Jugo grogged before dissapearing. Shūjo struggled to get up. "Disappear my ass...I'm not gonna...go out like this...!" He attempted to punch Tohru, but dissipated before the hit could land. "I...I don't wanna...I can't, not now...I don't wanna die--" uttered a panicked Jin, before vanishing. A horrified Tenko, tears in her eyes, turned to Rin. "Rin-Rin...where...where did we go wro--" She also vanished.

"Rin, I..." uttered a faint Rose. Rin kneeled next to her. "No, no no no no no no..." "I'm sorry...I never should've taken you to that world...but...I can at least be happy that...I could be your sister, even if it was for a little while." She gave a weak, teary smile. "Thank you, Rin...I'm sorry..." She dissipated away.

Rin slowly rose from the ground, her gaze darkened. "I know this is a difficult thing to accept. But better to do it now than watch as they crumble away over several years. You will learn to accept it." Tohru bellowed. "Accept...? Difficult...? Do you even hear what's coming out of your mouth...?" she uttered, clenching her fists. "I merely speak the truth. It's unbecoming of a figurehead to be so attached to minor things." Rin rapidly turned around, tears in her eyes. "SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH, YOU HYPOCRITICAL ASSHOLE!"

"You keep going on and on about how horrible death is, how you're going to stop death...and then you murder my friends! Then you tell me to just 'accept' it and move on?! You just moaned five minutes ago about how you thought only losers did that! It's only a problem when it involves you, isn't it?! When it's me, you've got no issues destroying everything. You don't give a damn about saving the world. You just want me to be second to you, just like it's always been. You're gonna ruin the entire world just because you could never, ever stand me being successful at anything you weren't. I'll never go along with your stupid plan. Ever. You're as bad as the guy who murdered Papa." She paused. "Actually, no. I take that back. You're worse. Because at least he apologized for what he did."

Tohru was silent for a moment. "Lambast me all you want, sister. My ego is dead. You'll be coming around to my way of thinking soon enough. There is nothing left for you here. So I'll let you figure that out for yourself. When you finally come to your senses, come to the center of town. Our world can finally begin then." He disappeared.

Rin stood in silence. Then, she slumped to her knees. She put her hands to her face.

The only sound to be heard around the unmoving town were her sorrowful cries.


	14. "Rays of a Beautiful Sun"

JANUARY 15, 2020

NARUKI CITY

"What the hell's going on out there?" Shinji asked while looking out the café's window. The sky had turned red, and everything seemed to be at a complete standstill. Birds were hovering motionless in the air. "How does this day manage to keep getting more bizarre?" asked Yūji. Then, they heard banging on the door.

"Hey, HEY! Let me in, c'mon! It's freaky as hell out here!" Yūji cautiously looked out the door. Standing there in his signature black suit with "King of the Beasts" on the back was Kaido. "Thank God, someone that's actually moving. You seeing the shit out here?!" he griped. "Hang on one second." Yūji responded. He turned away from the door, and grabbed a pool cue from the wall. He went to open the door, but Kaido had vanished. He looked around. "Where on Earth...hey Shinji, did you happen to see--" He turned to where Shinji was sitting, but all that was there were a few dissipating shadow particles. "Shinji...? This isn't exactly an appropriate time for practical--huh?" He noticed he had started being engulfed in shadow. "This is--" He too disappeared. The pool cue stayed motionlessly in place.

\---

"Come on, Hiyoko, pick up..." Outside of town, a train had ceased to move. Umihime tried calling Hiyoko to no avail. "I hope those kids are alright. That sky doesn't look promising."

She walked to the front of the train, into the conductor's car. "Hey, why the sudden sto--" She opened the door to find nobody there. "Nobody there...? Come to think of it...on top of no one moving, why are there so few people on this train..." She reached for her phone again, only to notice the shadows creeping up her body. "What the hell--" She dissipated.

\---

Kyohei Ishimaru sat in front of a shop in the market district, petrified by what he had been seeing. "Begeru! Where are ya, buddy?! Not the time for hide-and-seek, ya loaf..." Sakura and Jobin walked past. "He couldn't have gone thatfar. Hey, kid!" Jobin yelled out. Ishimaru mumbled incoherently to himself. "Kid, hey, hey, calm down. What the hell's going on around here?!" Jobin demanded. "He-he-he's come ba-ba-back, he isn't d-d-d-d-d-dead..." Ishimaru babbled. "What's that supposed to mean? Who isn't dead?" "Jobin--!" He turned around to see Sakura dissolving into shadow. "Babe?! What the--" He saw his own hand turn to shadow. "Son of a--" He vanished.

A figure walked over to Ishimaru. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen." Ishimaru looked up fearfully. He snickered. "You...you won't win..." "Won't win? Do you not see the world now? What about this tells you that I haven't won?" "The girl. She is the one thing in this world you fear..." "Why would I be afraid of my sister?" Ishimaru snickered again. "You're too envious of her to not be! You claim to seek salvation...deep down, all you seek is acknowledgement...to flaunt your superiority on the highest stage...it was apparent even before your death..." Shadows began creeping up Ishimaru's body. "Rest assured, it'll all come crashing down around you. You may be the resurrection...the girl is revelation." He disappeared.

Inside the flower market, Tan stared in disbelief at the bathroom sink, the water suspended in midair. "The hell...hey Mama...you haven't been sneaking more 'exotic' shit in, have ya?" "Nothing that would cause this, hon. I'm not sure what could..." Hana responded. "I left my phone next door, I'm gonna go grab it..." Tan ran out. Shortly after, Hana heard a yell. "What the fuck?!" Tan yelled out.

Hana ran next door. When she looked inside, Tan was nowhere to be seen. Standing behind the counter, staring at his own memorial picture, was Tohru. "Toh...ru...?" uttered a stunned Hana. "Hello, Mother. I know this must be unbelievable. But given what's been happening recently, is this really so beyond belief?" "There's beyond belief, and there's my murdered son standing here talking like nothing's wrong." "That is because nothing is truly wrong. On the contrary, it's never been more right."

He looked at the picture of his father. "Oh, Father. The one who convinced me that this was the proper path to take. The one who properly appreciated my talents..." "Are you still going on about that? Tohru...we knew how gifted a soul you were...are." "Let's not beat around the bush, Mother. It was obvious who curried favor between me and Ringo. Why else would you have tried for her so quickly after I was born? Was it so apparent early on that I was insufficient for you?" "That is a lie and you know it, Tohru. She was unplanned, that's all. You all are my children, and I love you all the exact same way. You were just so different from each other that you needed different upbringing. If you perceived that as being different levels of love, then I'm sorry. But...why are you here now?"

"I just wanted to speak with you one last time." "Last time?" Hana thought for a moment. "Tohru...where's Tan?" Tohru smirked. He picked up an apple and began tossing it around. "Where you're about to be. With the rebels. With Ringo's annoying friends. With Father." Hana's eyes widened. The shadows began to overtake her. "Tohru, please! Don't do thi--" "Goodbye, Mother." She vanished.

Tohru took a bite out of the apple. He sat it down on the counter, and walked away.

\---

SOME TIME AFTER

NARUKI ASCENSION ACADEMY

Silence.

The once-bustling halls of the Academy were now devoid of life. Not a student or instructor to be found. All that lined the classrooms and halls were assorted books and possessions that had been dropped. No instructions, no hallway chatter, no announcements. Just complete, total silence.

The dorms were much the same. With one exception. One student remained.

Rin had set an orange gym bag on her bed. The bag had the letters "T. K." written on the front, followed by a heart. She started putting things into the bag. Her writing journal. A mix tape labeled "Stateside's greatest hits - Jugo". The Bounsweet plush Jin had given her.

She looked to her nightstand. She picked up a photo of herself and all of her friends at the New Year's festival they had attended. It was a happy image. A happy memory. Far from the reality she was now faced with. She placed the photo in the bag, zipped it up and walked out the door.

She walked through the unmoving city to the market district. To her family's shops. Normally her brother would be yucking it up with customers with that big grin on his face. Her mother would be trimming the bigger flowers and humming a happy tune.

She went inside the flower shop. It was unnatural, everything here being so still and lifeless. Then, she saw them.

She saw the small, blue flowers near the back of the store.

Rosemary flowers.

She plucked one. The despair welled up inside her again. A tear fell down her face. She placed the flower where her hair was tied.

She went next door to the produce shop. She knelt down in front of the photo of her father. She put her hands together, and prayed in silence. After opening her eyes, she looked over to the picture of Tohru. No emotion. She rose up, grabbed her bag, and walked out the door.

She walked out of the city. She walked, and kept walking.

Eventually, she sat down by a tree off the side of the road. She took out a cassette player, another gift from Jugo, and put in the tape. She pressed play.

"Oooh, child, things are gonna get easier~. Oooh, child, things'll get brighter...~"

She took out her journal. With a sigh, she started to write.

Hey, Papa.

And Mama. And Tan. And everyone else.

She paused. She wiped a tear from her eye, and continued.

I don't know what I'm writing this for. Prosperity? My sanity? My last words? I don't know.

I don't even know how long it's been. Days? Weeks? There's no way to know. Clocks don't move. It's stuck on 5:47 pm., January 15, 2020. There's no sun. No moon. No wind. No rain.

Some things still work for me. Jugo's cassette player still plays. I can make the faucets and showers work, but only when I touch them. They just freeze up again after. I don't know why this is happening. The power not being absolute? Some kind of aura? Force of will making it happen? Nothing about this world makes sense anymore.

I wonder if this was ever worth it. I thought changing the hearts of bad people would help, but now everyone whose lives I've affected are gone. The only people left are frozen in place, waiting for the 'salvation' they've been promised. I know the truth. Tohru doesn't care about anyone's plight but his own. He just wants to be in control, to know that he stands above everyone else. To know that everything that happens is because of his will.

I keep staring at my arms. I'd come to accept them as a reminder to never give in to despair. Now I just hate them again. They're emblematic of everything Tohru's taken from me. My self-respect. My happiness. My friends. My family. I was the happiest girl in the world. Now I don't know if there's anything left to be happy about.

I'll never go along with his plans. I won't lord over people like some fake goddess. I won't give myself over to the stalker he's lined up for me. I'm gonna walk far, far away from here. From him. From every painful memory that's left there.

I have one message for you all. To Tenko. To JoJo. To Hiyoko. To Jin. To Jugo. To Rose. I love you all so, so much. I'm sorry this was done to you. I see your faces every time I close my eyes. I dragged you along on something that was fake from the start. We should all be enjoying ourselves right now, doing normal teenager things. Instead...

She wiped away another tear.

Papa, please look after Mama and Tan for me. Tell them how much I love and miss them, and how sorry I am that they got dragged down because of me. Them and everyone else.

I don't know where I'm going, or what I'll do when I get there. I'm not giving up hope. I'm giving up trying to fight this as I am now. There has to be a way to fix this. One way or another, I'll find a way. I have all the time to find it.

Goodbye, for now. Someday, some way, I'll make this right. Because I'm not giving up hope. I won't let him have a win over me.

Whatever it takes.

She shut the book. She took her headphones out, and put away the cassette player. She took out a small pillow from her bag, that was embroidered with an image of a person in a red costume. The words "Sentai Appleranger" were written on it. Hiyoko had made it for her as thanks for helping with the kids from the orphanage. She smiled, took out the Bounsweet plush, laid down and closed her eyes.

\---

When she awoke, she resumed walking. Eventually, she reached a small town. A few people were frozen in place along the walkways. She walked past one bespectacled man who was apparently in the process of tripping over part of the sidewalk. The papers he was holding were frozen in midair. Stopping for a moment, Rin collected the papers, and put them back in the man's folder. Then, she adjusted his legs so that he wouldn't fall over should he be unfrozen. "I don't know if this'll all be fixed, but if it is, that's one less headache you'll have to deal with..." she said. She continued walking.

Unbeknownst to her, the man dissolved into shadow shortly after.

She walked past a small grocery store. She went inside, where the only person left was the elderly cashier. She noticed a mop suspended in midair, apparently in the process of cleaning up a spilled drink. She wiped the floor clean. Afterwards, she grabbed a popsicle. She dug through her pockets before pulling out a few yen, placing them on the counter. "Keep the change, Jii-san." she said, before leaving. The cashier then vanished.

Rin kept the popsicle stick in her mouth after finishing it. She saw her reflection on a store window. "Good grief! What a pain! HOLY SHIT!" she said in a deepened voice. She sighed. "What I would give to hear that again..."

She walked, and walked, and kept walking. She performed small favors for people she came across: picking them up from a fall, stopping an accident in progress, among other things. At one point she moved a baseball to where the young batter would be able to hit it, rather than strike out. And each time, without her seeing it, the person she helped vanished.

Eventually, she found herself in a familiar spot. The sign in front of her read "Aokigahara National Forest". "This is..." She thought back. Almost two years prior she had been in such despair that she travelled to these woods to end her life. She still had the scars on her arm as proof. Only now, she knew what the source of her despair was. "If I went in here again...nobody would come save me this time. But I...could never..." She thought for a moment. Finally, she resolved to venture inside. "I have to face my fear sometime..."

She began making her way through the dense forest. Leaves were suspended in the air. She recalled the wind and rain from the last time she was here, but none of that was present now. As she wondered what it was she was even looking for, she saw something that stopped her dead in her tracks.

She saw a figure above her, standing on a branch. Quickly transforming, Rin leapt up to where the figure was. She saw that it was a girl, roughly the same age as her, in full school uniform. There was a noose around her neck, and she appeared to be in mid-jump. After staring in disbelief, Rin slowly removed the noose. She grabbed the girl, and leapt to the ground below. She gently laid the girl down in her frozen state. "...looks about my age. What must be going through your head right now? Still...if you have so much hurt in your heart to do something like this, why would you still be here, begging in your heart for immortality? Maybe...you know this isn't the answer?" She paused. "I don't know what led you here...what circumstances brought you to this point...but you don't deserve this kind of fate. I don't even know if you can hear this, but just know that there are people that care. I'm sure there's someone out there who would be extremely hurt over what you're doing. That's how it was with me...I just wish that I could help more than this. I wish I could fix everyone's troubles, but I can't even fix my own. But maybe...if you're down here instead of up there, maybe you'll reconsider. Where there's life...there's hope."

Rin went back to her normal self. She got up, and turned to grab her bag. "Alright, I'm going to--" She turned, and saw that the girl had disappeared. She went over to where the girl was. "I don't get it...why..."

"It would seem that you aren't quite done changing people's hearts, my troubled Fool."

Rin quickly turned around. There stood Farquhar. "Tch. Now you decide to show up." she griped. "I'm sorry, Ringo. There were matters I needed to--" "'Matters'? There were things more important to take care of than the world being ruined? And what happened to the girl?" "You happened, Ringo. Remember, this world has combined with the cognitive world. Your words and actions resonated with her heart. She came to your way of thinking, and as a result..." Rin was in disbelief. She fell to her knees. "I don't believe it...I thought I was saving her. I just finished the job for her! Is that what I've been doing all this time?! I thought I was helping all those people. All this time that's what I thought. But I've just been killing them! I killed everyone! I...I..." She put her hands to her face and started to sob.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Kubo. I needed to sort a few things out." "And I needed you! Rose needed you! You remember her? The girl you made to be a puppet? Well she's gone now too. Gone with everyone else. But do you move a finger? Nope. I mean, why should you even care? You're probably making another one! I'd love to see you even attempt it. You could make a whole army and never make another her. She can never come back. None of them can. You gave me the keys to the kingdom, and I ended up sending everyone to Hell. And you had things to sort out, Mr. All-Powerful. Well I hope it was all worth it. Cuz it hasn't fixed what's happened here."

"Is that what you're doing right now? Running away from him is fixing the issue?" "I'm not running from him. I'm acknowledging that I can't beat him like this. So I'll beat him by ignoring him. His stupid plan won't work unless I go crawling to him. I'll never give him the satisfaction."

"Y'know what, I'm curious. What was so important that you put aside your 'greatest creation' being murdered? Or the million other things that are wrong with this? I'd love to hear it." "I was sorting through our options with a certain associate of mine. And...we may have a way to solve this." "Solve it. As in...?" "As in we can resume the flow of time and bring everyone back. But it's a drastic solution. And we need you for it, Ms. Kubo." "Anything. Anything. I don't care what it takes, I need...I need to set this right. Please, I'll do anything. What's the plan?" "I believe that my associate can explain it better..." Farquhar snapped his fingers, and the two teleported away.

\---

...

"It would seem this meeting has been long overdue."

Rin opened her eyes. She looked around. She was inside the cabin of a ferris wheel. Everything was tinted velvet. She had been here once before. This was where she was first introduced to Farquhar and...her.

She looked forward. Sitting across from her was an odd-looking old man, with an impossibly long nose, bulging eyes, a black suit and white gloves. "Apologies for my late arrival. Other matters required my attention. But with the situation now dire, allow me to offer my formal greeting. Welcome, Ringo Kubo...to the Velvet Room."

His softer voice belied his odd appearance. "My name is Igor. I am the true owner of this Velvet Room, a place that exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is my duty to guide those bestowed with a contract along the proper path. And it would seem, your path has reached an impasse."

"The machinations of the ancient Titan have led to the merging of the conscious and the unconscious. Time has reached a standstill, and those with defiance in their hearts have vanished from existence. At the center of this are two who have had darkness pervade their hearts, whom the Titan has chosen as his avatars. The murderer, Nobuhiro Yamatsu, known by you as Kamiya Tsurai. And your brother, Tohru Kubo."

"Why...why my brother?" Rin asked. "Cronus held dominion over time, eons ago. Even now, visions pervaded his mind of potential futures. One that caused him to act was that of a red-haired girl, scarred by death, hastening his downfall. So using the power he still held, deep within the depths of Tartarus, he granted power to two who could stop you. A blood relative you would be hesitant to fight, and an obsessed fanatic who would test your virtue at every turn. He stoked the flames of your brother's hatred, turning his resentment towards death into an unholy desire for immortality. For a Titan who gave rise to life itself, the destruction of death itself would give him unlimited power. The age of the Titans would begin again, with your brother and his legions as his dutiful servants."

"Tohru...wants me to serve him. He says this entire journey was to make me strong enough to boss around what's left of humanity. How could I ever fight him the way he is now?" Rin asked. Then, Farquhar appeared. "You give him what he wants." "Huh?" "He wants you to be strong enough to serve him. So, become strong enough to defeat him. And you do that in the same way that he did. By seeking council and unity with a god. By recreating yourself enough times that you and the deity become as one in purpose. Gain the power he did, and you may be able to bring back those who have been taken." "How would that even work?" "His power allowed him to erase life. So, by gaining power opposing his, it is possible to bring back that which his power destroyed. The process would be excruciating, both to your mind and spirit. But it remains our only course of action." Igor explained.

Rin stayed silent. "This...could bring everyone back? Mama...Tan...and my friends? And I'd be able to stop Tohru once and for all?" "Yes. All we would need is a deity that would agree to it. And I happen to know just the one." Farquhar said. "You...? Just who are you?" Farquhar paused. "It seems that there's no point in hiding it any longer. If you hadn't guessed by now, I am no mere mortal being. My true identity..." He removed his glasses. His eyes were black holes, filled with what appeared to be stars. "My name...is Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto, god of the moon." "You're really a god? Then what's all this been about?" "I will explain once you meet with the one I speak of. We must make haste. She is a stickler for being on time."

Rin got up. "Good luck to you, Ringo Kubo. It is no exaggeration to say that life itself is reliant on your success. No pressure...hehehehehe..." said Igor. Tsukiyomi snapped his fingers, and teleported off with Rin.

The two appeared at the base of a large, heavenly stairway. The place was bathed in a brilliant light. They started ascending. "So, Mr. Fa--Tsukiyomi. Why can't you perform this yourself?" Rin asked. "My power...has waned with the centuries. Worship for the power of the moon is nowhere near the equivalent towards the sun. In addition, your brother has frozen time at the height of the afternoon. My power is at it's weakest. But the one we are meeting, cannot be stronger than she is now."

"Why the disguise? Why create Rose? Why...anything?" Tsukiyomi was silent. "The sun...is the bringer of life. Her light bestows vitality upon all of the world's creatures. She is truly a force to be revered...and it is this reverence that drives me forward. I seek the appreciation for life that she possesses. And so...I made Rosemary as someone who would love life itself above all else. And love life, she did. Her love for life, for you, is why I let her stay by you for as long as she desires it. That she was made to suffer in the manner she did, and that my power could never bring her back...brings me the most sickening despair. That is why we need her. The bringer of life's light...my beloved."

They reached the top of the stairs. Beyond the arc at the top, was a single, stone platform. At the far end, staring out to the sky, was a dark-haired woman wearing a long, white kimono. "Amaterasu..." Tsukiyomi mused. "Amaterasu...the Sun Goddess...I'm staring at the literal Sun right now..." Rin pondered. The pair stepped forward. "...hi, honey." Tsukiyomi sheepishly said. Amaterasu didn't move. Then, a transparent hand appeared and slapped Tsukiyomi across the face, surprising Rin. "Ow!" "Don't 'hi honey' me, you buffoon! What makes you think you can talk to me so casually?!" Amaterasu yelled, still refusing to turn around. "Ooh, you anger me so much! Dearest child, would you like to know why the moon and sun stay so far apart? Because this imbecile can't attend a feast without killing the host! 'Oh, I didn't like how the food was made.' Idiot!" Rin looked at Tsukiyomi, who was rubbing his face. "...it was made unnaturally, I didn't--" "She was the food goddess, you twit! That kind of gives her the right to prepare food however she pleases!"

"Um...can we save the lovers' quarrel stuff for therapy? I think we have bigger problems..." Rin piped up. "Ah, right. How impolite of me. Sorry, this brute brings out my worst qualities. On that note, 'honey', would you kindly disappear?" Amaterasu said. Tsukiyomi sighed. "Fine, fine. I'm going." He turned to leave. "Stay yourself, Ms. Kubo. It is our only chance of winning. Rosemary and everyone else are depending on it..." He teleported away.

"...is he gone?" Amaterasu asked. "Y-yeah, he's gone." "Oh, thank Izanagi. He enrages me so." She turned around. Rin was surprised to see that her face was nearly identical to Rose's. She knew that couldn't be accidental. "As the ape said, I am Amaterasu-ōmikami, Goddess of the Sun. But you can call me Ammy." "I-it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Amaterasu." "No, seriously. Call me Ammy."

"M-Miss Ammy, you see what's happening on Earth, right?" "Of course I do. Mortals believing they can be gods and utterly desecrating the sanctity of life. Something that occurs far too often, I'm afraid. Come, let me get a better look at you." Rin walked over, and knelt down next to Amaterasu. The goddess grabbed her hands, and studied her arms. She looked into Rin's eyes. "My, such a beautiful, bright spirit, yet so scarred by death. This world has not been kind to you. You seek to undo what your kin has wrought onto the world, yes?" "Yes, yes I do. Can you help me? Can you help me bring everyone back?" "Dearest girl, I hold sway over life's most important source. There are few things that I am not capable of. However..." "However?" "Your brother possesses a power that, combined with the Titan's, makes undoing his actions that much more difficult. Even someone with my power could not oppose it." "So then...it's hopeless..." "I never said that."

"What your brother did was destroy and restructure his spirit to such an extent that he and the Titan became one in purpose. So naturally, undoing his magics would require doing the same thing. And the one person who can do it is you. The power you hold within you directly opposes his. So, with my power intertwined with yours...we could undo the damage he's caused." "Then let's do it. I'm ready. I have to do this."

"I would be remiss if I failed to mention the dangers of doing this. This will test and strain your spirit to its utmost limits. There is a possibility that your very sense of self could be broken, that you as a person may disappear. There even remains the potential of you shifting to your brother's way of thinking. Knowing that you could be eradicating yourself...do you still want to do this?"

"Absolutely. One-hundred and ninety percent. Whatever it takes." "Very well. Know this. It took your brother over a full year to complete his process." Amaterasu gave a smirk. "I think we can beat that."

"Now, close your eyes. The first step in strengthening your mind and spirit, is to remember what it is you're living for. Picture it in your mind."

Rin closed her eyes.

Visions floated in her mind.

"Remember."

She was at her mother's shop. She stared at her brother. He blinked, and reeled back. Her mother was at the register, humming to herself.

"Remember."

She was sitting on the couch in her dorm. Tenko sat next to her, drinking sake and giggling.

"Remember."

She was on a boat, holding a giant fish she'd just caught. Shūjo gave an approving thumbs-up.

"Remember."

She was at the arcade. She had beaten the standard mode in Tekken 3. Jin patted her on the back.

"Remember."

She was in a makeshift red costume, performing for the orphans. Hiyoko sat by, clapping in approval.

"Remember."

She was at a street festival, playing a game where she shot bottles with a prop rifle. Jugo helped steady her aim.

"Remember."

She was at the flower shop. She picked out a rosemary flower, and placed it in Rose's uniform. Rose gave a bright smile.

Rin opened her eyes. They glowed with a pure white light.

"There. Now...let us begin."

\---

A few days later, Rin sat on the edge of the platform, looking out. "Tea?" asked Amaterasu. "Oh, thanks." Rin answered, taking a cup. Amaterasu brought out Rin's photo. "These are your friends, yes? I saw them during the first mental exercise." "Yeah, that's them. That was from...well, technically speaking it was still a couple weeks ago. I think that was the happiest we'd all been since this started. Seems like an eternity ago now..."

"And this girl next to you...this is Rose, correct? The girl Tsukiyomi created?" Rin paused. "Yeah...that's her. But she wasn't just some kind of factory creation. She was...special." "She was akin to a sister to you." "She was...is...she ismy sister." "Of course. I was curious. Your loved ones all weigh heavily on your conscience, but her most of all." Rin was silent for a moment. "She was innocent. Completely, totally innocent. She loved everything that life had to offer. She loved being able to feel love. Someone so pure, so devoid of sin...and Tohru did what he did anyway. I could never forgive that. I was just as torn up about Papa's death, but that doesn't excuse what he's doing."

Amaterasu pondered what to say next. "Rin. There is something we must take care of before progressing further. Something that is hindering your development." "What do you mean?" "There is something that is holding you back. Your brother holds something over you, something you fear from the bottom of your soul. I think you know what."

"Let me in once more, Rin. Let's take care of your lingering despair." She placed her hands on each side of Rin's face. Rin closed her eyes.

She awoke to the feeling of rain drops hitting her back. She lay on the ground in the middle of the forest. She got up and looked around. She went back to her arms. Scarred, red, dirty with the forest's soil and leaves. Then, a voice called out to her.

"This is where we always return to, isn't it, apple blossom?"

Even after eight years, she recognized the voice. She turned around. There stood a man with dark hair, glasses and a purple plaid shirt. He looked as he did when she had seen him last.

"P...Papa?" she stuttered. She forced her legs to move. She ran straight to him, and embraced him. "Sweet mother of all lemons, when did you get so big?" he asked. "It's been eight years, Papa...I'd be worried if I wasn't just a little bit taller." she answered. "Fair enough, I suppose." She held him tighter. "I...I missed you so much, Papa..." "I know, I know. I missed you too, apple blossom."

"But why are you here, Papa? And...why does it have to be here? I hate this place so much..." "Well, if the touchy sun lady's on the money, I'd say you're here to sort out some things. As for why it's me here, well...it looks like your brother's gone and made a mess of things, hasn't he?" "He killed Mama and Tan, Papa. Them, my friends, so many other people...he says he wants to make a new world where everyone'll live forever. He's insane, Papa."

Her father sighed. "That boy...where did I go so wrong with him? I know he's not just doing this because he's mad about what happened to me. Plenty of kids lose a parent at a young age. They don't all destroy the world like this." He let out a groan. "That dumb little...I know what it is. He's still trying to prove he's not second to baby sis, isn't he?" "I think it might be, Papa. Just taken to the absolute extreme. He wants me serving him, to convince whoever's left to obey him. As big as this is, as much as he dresses it up...it's all because he hates me so much. I just don't know why..."

"I think...this might be my fault. I gave him everything he wanted and needed. I told him my old man's mantra to never be second at anything. I always believed that being the best that you were capable of was the key to happy living. Looks like he took the first part to heart. I think that's where the jealous streak started. He saw how well you did and how happy you were, and saw that as you not putting any effort into anything." "Please don't blame yourself, Papa. I should've taken things more seriously growing up. Maybe then he wouldn't--" "Now don't go blaming yourself for this. Apologize for being a happy kid, and you might as well say that Tohru wins. You don't apologize for being you, apple blossom."

"Now, then...let's get down to why we're here. What's this place to you, Rin-chan?" "This is...the worst place ever. This is where I gave into despair and tried ending everything. No...this...this is where I gave Tohru the idea that I could be his puppet. That he could do whatever he wanted to me and I wouldn't even know it was him..." She looked at her arms, and they started shaking. "I hate these scars so much...! Everything that he's done to me...it all starts and ends with these things! I hide them and that makes me look ashamed by my past. I show them amd it's like I'm proud of what he made me do. It's like I'm a cow he's branded! I hate them so much...and...I..."

Her father grabbed her hands. "You can't say it, can you?" Rin was silent. "Everything he's said, everything he's done...he's still your brother. And you can't bring yourself to hate him. There's still part of you that wants to forgive him, come up with some excuse. I know. I do too. That Titan's polluted his mind, but at the end of the day, there had to be something there for him to pollute. That's what's stopping you from progressing forward. You're afraid that this can't end any other way...than watching him die again. I on the money?"

Rin didn't say a word. "Listen, kiddo. This isn't an easy thing to decide. You either take your brother out for good, or everyone else. But Tohru made his bed. He made the decision for everyone, even if they didn't want it. Don't you think your friends want to be here with you right now? I'm sure your mom's bored stiff with no pachinko parlors around." "Pachinko...?" "Aw, crud. Forget I said anything. What I'm saying is this. As hard as it is to say this about my own son, Tohru threw away his life. Then he gave himself a second chance and used it to take away everyone else's. You're the only one that can save them. And maybe ending this thing is the only way to save him."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "You're the writer of this story, Rin-chan. There's still a chance for a happy ending. You know that the hero's journey has to include the tough decisions. He's made his. And you have your old man's permission to make him regret it. So before I go, there's just one thing I want to hear from you." "Of course Papa. What is it?" "What is Rin-chan?"

Through the rain and the tears, Rin gave a smile. "Rin-chan is like an apple, red and sweet and good. Rin-chan is a happy girl, happiest in the whole world. And..."

"Nobody writes Rin-chan's story...except Rin-chan."

Her father smiled. "That's my girl. Now c'mere." They embraced. "I love you, apple blossom." "I love you too, Papa." "Give him hell for me." The forest began to disappear into light. "Give your Ma and Tan my love." "You bet. And I won't tell Mama about the pachinko thing." He gave a thumbs-up, and disappeared.

Rin opened her eyes. "So. Has your mind been put at ease?" Amaterasu asked. Rin looked at her arms. "Yeah. Everything's all fine."

Her scars had disappeared.

"Now let's get back to business. My brother's butt won't kick itself."


	15. "Deicide"

CENTER OF NARUKI CITY

SIX MONTHS LATER

Stillness. No major city would remain this lifeless for half a second, much less for over half a year. Even then, the clocks were frozen at 5:47 p.m., January 15, 2020. Most of the populace had disappeared on that fateful day. Many that remained had joined them in the time since, their hearts tiring of waiting for the paradise they had been promised. Rain had not fallen since that day, nor had a gust of wind blown. The gods themselves seemed to have abandoned the unmoving world.

Until now.

Tsukiyomi stood atop a building, looking down at what was once the Tartarus hotel, since converted by the world's master into a tower. Behind him was the long-nosed figure of Igor. "So the girl's preparations are complete?" he asked. "Amaterasu simply told me she had done everything in her power. She never showed me her expression. Whatever the girl's condition, we will see soon enough." Tsukiyomi answered. "Excellent. And the boy?" "He's...just doing what he's been doing for the past six months." "And that would be?" "Sitting there doing absolutely nothing."

Tohru sat expressionless in a chair in front of the tower. He had a pitch-black katana jabbed into the ground next to him.

"He's waiting for Ringo. He knows, one way or another, she's going to come here. This is either where his ambition is realized...or where it dies." Tsukiyomi expressed.

Tohru sat in silence. "You still think she'll show?" Kamiya approached. He had his hood down, revealing the scars from his burns. "My answer remains the same as the past thirty-seven times you asked me, Kamiya. She has no choice. Don't fret now. You'll either have your bride, or permission to shoot her where she stands. Adequate payment either way." "It'd better be. I'm gettin' antsy here. I'm tempted to just start shooting whoever's left."

A jolt of energy could be felt.

Tohru looked up. "I don't think that will be necessary."

Light flashed in the clouds. Tsukiyomi looked to the sky. "I pray that is a sign of your wife's success." Igor said. "It needs to be. Because I don't know what happens if it isn't." Tsukiyomi responded.

The clouds opened up for the first time in months, and light began to shine down. It centered right on front of where Tohru and Kamiya were. A pillar of light erupted from the spot, as energy pulsated around it. Tohru, still unemotional, rose from his seat. He yanked the sword from the ground. Kamiya, meanwhile, shielded his eyes.

A figure gradually appeared within the pillar. The light cleared out. Standing there was the girl chosen by the Fool Arcana, Ringo Kubo. Her hair reached down to her waist, and was tied back by a pair of small bells. She was garbed in a white-and-red kimono, and she lacked shoes. Red markings adorned her face, and her pupils were clear. She took a step forward.

Kamiya gave a whistle. Tohru smirked. "Sister. Such radiant garb fit for the queen of my new world on her wedding day. So, what is your answer? Will you join me in bringing the few enlightened what they desire?"

Rin looked around. She turned to Tohru. She held out her arm. Using her other arm, she unfurled it, revealing it to be unscarred. Kamiya's eyes widened in disbelief. "Her arms...! How...?!" "What is the meaning of this?" Tohru demanded.

Rin gave a slight smile. She rose her arm up, and put two fingers together. "This, brother..." she said with an echo in her voice. "...is my answer." She snapped her fingers, and light enveloped everything for a few seconds.

When the light vanished, the cityscape began to experience something it had not in months: movement. Birds resumed flight. Wind resumed blowing. 5:38 p.m. arrived.

Tsukiyomi was ecstatic. "She...she did it! Everything's moving again!" "Where are the people the boy disintegrated? And where did they all go?" Igor asked. The tower had vanished. So too, had Rin, Tohru and Kamiya.

Then, a ringing sound. Tsukiyomi took out a phone. He stared at it in awe.

\---

TARTARUS DEPTHS

Tohru unshielded his eyes. He looked around to see not the Naruki cityscape, but an endless plain of ruins tinted green and red. Only the tower stood behind him. "How did this happen? That power shouldn't be possible...!" he griped.

"Oh, but it is. That which you destroy, I may give rise to again. Though the moon may shower the world in darkness, the sun shall rise to banish it to whence it came. The process you boasted of completing in a year, I completed in half the time, and without sacrificing either my life or my sense of self. Never once did I consider joining your mad scheme. Nor would I unite with the foul attack dog you've aligned yourself with. Your souls are tainted by malice. I have cleansed my heart of everything that is neither love nor compassion. On behalf of the children of this world whom you have harmed with your evil, I shall cleanse you of this malice. Or I will cleanse this world of you. In other words, brother..." Rin stuck her arm out, and summoned forth a glowing, golden blade, bearing an image of the sun on its handle. "You lose."

Tohru's unemotional face took on the slightest tinge of anger. "Enough with your bullshit!" Kamiya yelled, before firing a shot towards Rin. As it reached her, however, she simply blew it away. The shot flew in-between the two men, before blasting a hole in the front of the tower. Kamiya was shocked. Tohru looked bemused. "I would've simply flicked it, but I haven't had my nails done in months. I'd rather not make my job more difficult." Rin said.

Tohru's left eye twitched slightly. He smirked. "I knew all along that your naivety would cloud you from reason. If you refuse to be the new world's queen...then I'll settle for making you its martyr." His eyes turned yellow as a murderous aura emerged from him. Shadows emerged from underneath him, and coated his body. The shadows forged a full-body, samurai-style black armor around him. The kanji for "moon" appeared on his back. An aura resembling black feathers emanated from the armor. He grasped his sword with both hands, and took a battle stance.

"Come then, my dear sister. The moon shall swallow the sun, and neither it, nor the feeble masses you care for so much, will ever rise again!"

Tohru burst forth, pushing Rin back as she blocked with her sword. They clashed, multiple times. Tohru landed, only for a pillar of light to erupt from beneath him. He caught himself before crashing to the floor. He summoned forth a dark aura, forming giant fists made of shadow and launching them at Rin. She cut them apart before they reached her. While she was distracted, however, a burst of shadow erupted behind her, sending her flying. Tohru grabbed her from midair, slamming her to the ground. He attempted to drive his sword into her, but Rin grabbed the blade, imbuing it with light and causing an explosion that sent Tohru flying.

He picked himself up off the ground. He summoned forth two giant swords. "You know you can't win, Ringo. I've prepared for this moment for years. And unlike you, I have no qualms about ending your life. Empathy is the first thing I let Cronus burn to ashes." Rin smirked. "Must've been easy, seeing how there wasn't much there to start with." "Foolish yapping is all you're capable of. I'll put an end to that right now."

He charged at her, clashing swords. Using both swords, he gradually began to overpower her. He brought a ray of shadow down upon her, before grabbing and tossing her away. She tried attacking, but Tohru blocked it, grabbed her sword and tossed it away. He kicked her into a nearby rock, before crossing his swords, channeling energy and firing an X-shaped blast at her. She rolled out of the debris, heavily damaged.

Tohru summoned forth more energy. "You mock me for being alone, sister. How the tables are about to turn." More shadows appeared on the ground behind him. Legions of shadowy centurions, angels and assorted monstrosities appeared behind him. "The legions that discarded their humanity in exchange for eternal life...the lives sacrificed for a greater purpose...their souls are mine to command." Kamiya appeared next to Tohru. Two familiar faces appeared from the ground next to them: the Shadow forms of Ginmaru Hibiki amd Kurojū Mishima.

Rin struggled to get back up. "Defiant to the last, eh, sister?" Tohru shook his head. "Years of being made to feel inadequate compared to you...having to pretend to be someone I'm not, being forced to end my own existence...to see you, now, beaten and weak, ready to be sacrificed for the new world I am about to create...knowing that there's nothing more you can do, that your life will end here with no one to see it...I would be lying if I said I wasn't going to enjoy what I'm about to do to you. I'm going to enjoy it a lot."

Rin stood firm, breathing heavily. She couldn't let it end like this. Even weakened she couldn't just let him win. As she was prepared for a desperation move...

"Gonna have to park the brakes there, Mr. Savior. You clearly don't know the first rule of the friend code: Never let your bestie suffer alone."

Rin's eyes widened. A pillar of light erupted from behind her. Several more followed suit. Music began to emanate from one of the pillars. "Is...is that...Metallica?" uttered a stunned Kamiya.

Before Rin could turn to look, she noticed a light covering her that healed her wounds. She turned around. Standing behind her was a girl, with a velvet uniform and platinum hair. She smiled. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Rin." Rose said. Rin, with tears forming, embraced her. "Hey. Save some for the rest of us." echoed out a digitized voice. Emerging from one pillar was the cloaked figure of Jin. On the screen of his tablet was a song title: Enter Sandman - Metallica.

"Sorry for the wait, Rin-Rin. Just had to go pick some friends up." Tenko emerged from a pillar. Behind her, a pack of wolves, all bearing yellow pupils, came scurrying in, before transforming into monstrous forms. Soon, the others began to appear: Shūjo emerged, cracking his knuckles as legions of yellow-eyed yakuza appeared behind him, all transforming into assorted forms. "Your next line's gonna be, 'Who let these nerds in here?'" he said. "Who let these nerds in here...huh?!" Kamiya uttered. Behind Shūjo, Kaido came walking in. He transformed into his pirate captain form, drawing his guns.

Hiyoko followed suit. "Alright, kids. Ms. Appleranger needs our help, alright?" The kids from the orphanage, all with yellow pupils, appeared and transformed into otherworldly forms. Umihime, also with yellow eyes, appeared behind her. "Usually I let my words do the fighting. Oh, well." She transformed into a form resembling a siren.

Jugo came in, rifle drawn. Behind him came an army of uniformed students. "Alright, you all know the drill! Boss Rin saved your bacon from the tyrants, y'all get to return the favor!" he yelled out. Assorted cries of "let's help apple girl" and "let's beat his ass" echoed out from the transforming students. Yūji and Shinji appeared. "Guess it's time I reorganized my staff." Yūji mused, before taking an angelic form and taking flight. "Welp, guess that pilot's gonna be a solo act." Shinji mused, and took a form resembling a mage.

Jin sat and began eating his Hi-Chews. Begeru came running in. "Oh, hey buddy. Gonna help fight four-eyes over there?" The cat turned into a monstrous tiger and roared. "I'll take that as a yes." Sakura walked in. "Someone's booty's gonna feel sore in the mornin'." She turned into a grey-skinned warrior. Jobin followed. "I could be playing Steel Battalion right now." he groaned. "You could also be playing Superman 64 right now. Doesn't look so bad, does it?" Jin retorted. "Fair point." Jobin turned into a bespectacled, hooded figure.

Legions of people began pouring through the pillars. Rin's friends took their places next to her. Then, someone poked her back. She turned to see her mother, eyes yellowed, smiling. "Can't get rid of me that easy, dear." she joked. Rin embraced her. "I'm sorry to make you do this, Mama." "Don't worry about it. Consider this...tough love for your brother." She turned into a radiant figure coated with flowers on her clothing. Then, the ground shook. Rising up from the crowd was a giant ogre wearing leather armor, that towered over everything else. Rin stared in awe at it. She blinked. "Hah. Got ya." the ogre boomed. "Wha--Tan?!" "In the flesh, and finally the victor." "Oh come on, that didn't count!" "Keep telling yourself that."

Jin shut the music off. Tsukiyomi teleported in. "Funny thing about humans, Tohru Kubo. They tend to follow the person who isn't trying to actively murder them. You wanted her to rally the masses, and she has. Just not the way you wanted." he lectured.

"Shit, boss. Whatcha wanna do now?" Kamiya asked. Tohru's hand shook. "Idiots. Damn idiots. I offer you freedom from death, and yet you still side with her?! What does she have that I don't?!" he yelled. "That you would think to ask, answers your question." Rose retorted. "Humanity has seen through your empty promises as being a petty grudge in disguise. What else would they gauge from someone claiming to adore life, yet murders millions for their goal? The Titan may hold your mind, but your heart was blackened long before. You're a scoundrel, Tohru Kubo. That you would be allowed to rise from your grave is an affront to life itself." she continued. "In shorter terms: piss off, Fruits Basket." Jin added.

Tohru went silent. His aura began to flare. He started growling. Everything began to shake. He picked his head up. "...kill them all. Spare nobody." He brandished his swords.

"IF YOU IDIOTS WON'T ACCEPT ETERNAL LIFE, THEN I'LL GIVE YOU ETERNAL DAMNATION!"

He gave the order for his troops to charge. Rin turned to the mass of people behind her. "Everyone...thank you." She waved her hand in a manner similar to an induction. "Welcome to the Shinigami Order. Do me one solid: Don't die." The group gave a rallying cry, and charged forward. Rin stood and watched. She sighed. Reopening her eyes, she stared straight forward at Tohru.

Both armies engaged in a massive scrum. The demon dogs swarmed the shadow centurions. Angels on both sides began tackling each other out of the air. Shūjo began pummeling numerous centurions. One attempted to jump him from behind, but was shot dead instantly. "Just like the good old days, right bro?!" Kaido exclaimed. "Now ain't the time for reminiscing, dude. Tell ya what it is time for, though..." Shūjo pointed towards a group of angels up above. "Fastball special time?" Kaido asked. "Damn straight." Kaido picked Shūjo up, spun him around and tossed him into the air. He decked one angel in the face, before leaping off of it and attacking the others.

Elsewhere, Mishima attacked the group using a large mech. "See what rejecting order has brought you? If only your fortitude matched your stupidity..." he mused. "And what would you know about fortitude?" Mishima turned around. Jugo was pointing his rifle at him. "Finally done letting guys like me do your dirty work, huh, 'Commamder'?" he said. "You implying cowardice on my part, Oda?" Mishima chided. Jugo brought out Sanjuro. "Ma always told me: real leaders lead from the front."

Mishima fired a laser from the mech's hand, but Sanjuro blocked it using its sword. It made a cutting motion, and cleaved the mech in two. Mishima scurried out of it. "All this time and you couldn't get an upgrade? Man. And to think I used to take orders from you..." Jugo said. "Mock me at your peril, traitor...!" Mishima drew his revolver, only for Jugo to blast him. "At ease, loser." Jugo said.

Rin fought off numerous shadow guards trying to attack her. She felt a tugging at her robe. She looked down and saw Kyohei Ishimaru pulling on her kimono. "Oh, hello. Fancy meeting you here." he said. "Wait, YOU'RE here now? I'm a little busy at the moment, unless you're really in the mood to bother me." Rin responded. "Oh, heavens, no. I'd love nothing more than to see that pompous fool get taken down a few pegs. I am yours to boss around, my queen." "Somehow I'm not convinced."

"Turning traitor, Ishimaru?" Hibiki walked over. "Such a disappointing turn. There was a place for you in Tohru's new order if you'd have played along. But then, looking at the other option..." He studied Rin. "Fehehehehe...I'm going to enjoy pulling your layers apart--"

Suddenly, a figure drove a large axe into Hibiki's back, before forcefully removing it. Holding the axe was a pink-skinned woman with curled horns. "It's...it's you..." she said. "My name is Miko Sakaki. You...you helped me in the forest..." Rin paused. She envisioned her as the brown-haired schoolgirl she'd pulled down from the tree. "I was so scared then...I just needed to know that there was someone who cared...but it makes sense, for someone so kind to be a goddess..." "Oh, no no no. I'm no goddess. I'm just a girl that saw herself on that branch." Rin answered. She looked and saw Tohru fighting in the distance. "Listen, it's not my place to ask you a favor..." "Not your place? I owe you my life! I could never repay your kindness." Miko enthused. "A-anyway, could you keep an eye on him for me? I don't need any more headaches today." Before she left, Rin patted Miko on the shoulder. "Hey, if you're ever in Naruki, ask where the best produce in town is. Ask the nice red-haired lady where Rin is. My door's always open for a chat." She ran off. Miko turned to Ishimaru. "I like your axe." he said casually.

Tohru brutally tossed aside many attackers. He turned to point his blade at another, only to be met with the sight of Rose. "I don't believe we've been formally introduced." she said. "No need. I know exactly who you are, puppet. They couldn't wait to replace me, it seems." he answered. "Au contraire. To replace you would be implying that we were on equal footing." "You dare to look down upon me, puppet?" "Unlike you, I see no logic in ruining reality over sibling resentment. I don't resent Rin's talents. I revere them. They are something to be replicated, not despised." "Do not speak as if you are anything but a doll to be pulled by the strings. You're no sibling. You're a slave, puppet."

Rose began to hum a tune. "I've no strings, to hold me down~. Make me limp, or make me frown~. I had strings, but now I'm free~. There are no strings on me~." Tohru became agitated. "Your lack of fear displays ignorance. Complete your song as you descend into the infernal depths!" He drew his blades. "Hey, Samurai Quack!" Tenko jumped in-between the two, and pointed her sword at Tohru. "Sheesh, do you talk in anything but passages from the generic bad guy manual? You gonna start boasting that your imminent ass-whooping is part of your plan next?" she joked. "Ahh, the best friend. So good that you'd both come to me. I can hurt you both to hurt her." Tohru said. "Seriously, I can buy the manual and it'd be you word for word." Tenko responded.

Frustrated, Tohru swung his sword down. Tenko parried it, and sent one of the swords flying away. "I've seen marketing firms with less openings than you." she taunted. He continued his assault, but Tenko continued parrying his attacks. "Annoying monkey...!" he griped. "Here's your problem, Big Man. You can't stop looking down on people no matter what. I've been holding a sword since I was in diapers. I don't slack in my training. I've made an experienced fencing champion my bitch. And I bet you thought having those big swords gave you an advantage. Those big uglies just make you easier to read. You're not beating me in a sword match. Not in ten thousand years."

Tohru steadied himself. "Hmm. Perhaps you have a point. I couldn't beat you in a fair match. Luckily for me..." Rose heard the sound of a gun being cocked behind her. Kamiya pointed his revolver at her. "War ain't fair." he quipped. "You dirty piece of...!" Tenko griped. "Put the sword down, witch. Or I'll put her down." Tohru asserted. Tenko begrudgingly complied. Tohru raised his sword. "This will only hurt for a long time."

Before he could bring his sword down, Kamiya was dragged and flung away by a chain wrapped around his neck. "What in..." Tohru began, before Tenko picked her sword up and cut off his left hand. He fell to his knees in agony. Tenko kicked him onto his back. Her eyes glowed as she summoned blades of light above Tohru. She brought them down, and they impaled him through his remaining hand and legs. Tenko shook her head. "I'm gonna call this one, 'Ballad of the Deflated Ego'." she quipped.

Kamiya was flung a good distance away. He picked himself up. "Pointed your gun at the wrong pair, gruesome." Jin appeared in front of him. "Jin, ol' buddy! Love the voice box thingie. Just gotta learn how the do balloon animals and you'll be a hit at kids' parties!" "Shut up. I'm not here to listen to your bull. I'm here for payback." "Oh goodie, what for? Cutting your throat out? Shooting at your gal pal? Stalking her bestie?" Jin summoned Ongyo-ki. "Yes."

Back where Kamiya had been flung from, Tenko stood over Tohru's battered form. "Y'know...when I first met Rin-Rin she kept boasting about what a 'paragon of talent' you were. That as president you'd be everything Ishimaru wasn't. I'm guessing that was all an act? Butter her up enough to where she'd feel worse when you died? Then when she--in your pretentious brain--inevitably failed, you'd be there to overtake her. I get all that right?" "Hmph. And I thought you were stupid. But that power of mine isn't just limited to overtaking the mind. I could fix everything about someone just by possessing them. Even, say...damaged vocal cords?" Tenko paused. "Tenko, don't even..." Rose warned. "Think about it. I've done extensive research on each of you. Your beloved Jin's mind would be gone, but I know enough to where I would prove an effective substitute. I wouldn't be the equal to a broken, outdated phone. And I know all about you, Tenko. I could be a better Jin than you'd likely ever get. I could make you so happy..."

"Tenko, please, you know he's lying--" Rin pleaded. "Oh, I know. I'm just letting him have his moment." Tenko answered. "Didn't buy it for a second, eh?" Tohru said. "I'm a farm girl, hon. I'm very attuned to the smell of horseshit." Tenko retorted. "Worth a shot." Suddenly, a strange object launched towards Tenko, grabbing her by the throat and hoisting her upwards. It was Tohru's severed hand. He broke free of the swords, and rose back up. Rose attempted to summon Kikuri-hime, but Tohru made a flicking motion, creating a shockwave that sent Rose flying. He placed the stump of his arm into the floating hand, reconnecting it to his body.

"I was going to just bathe this entire plateau with your blood, but I have a better idea. You talk too much. So to fix it and make all things equal, I'll let you join Jin Mirai in eternal silence. Won't that be adorable? You could find new ways to pantomime 'I love you'. I for one find it amusing." Tohru taunted. Tenko didn't respond at first. "Hey, Rosie." she finally uttered. Rose, scraped by the previous attack, approached. "Yes, Tenko?" "I'm gonna need some juice." Rose summoned her Persona, and fired several beams of light at Tenko. Her eyes glowed, and she broke free of Tohru's grasp.

"Well. Looks like Rin-Rin's gonna have to live with some disappointment." Tenko said. "At what? Your impending failure?" Tohru responded. A menacing aura flowed out of Tenko. "That there's not gonna be anything left of you to whoop."

Elsewhere, Kamiya fired shots at multiple copies of Jin, all of which vanished upon getting hit. "Slippery little shit, how 'bout you actually try fighting head-on?!" Kamiya griped. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe I should've waited 'til you were taking a piss. I mean, that's how you roll, right?" Jin retorted. "Hey, you're the one that thought going to the bathroom during a movie was a good idea." He fired more shots, and more copies vanished. "Just knock it off. I don't have anymore words for you." Jin said. "Well of course not. I carved 'em all outta ya, remember?" "I think what you need is someone who can talk louder than you." "Ooh, so hurtful. As if you could get someone like tha--"

"Alright, kiddies. We're gonna sing a little tune for the Red Hood for being such a meanie. On the count of 3. 1, 2..." Hiyoko stood by with a group of pale-skinned, yellow-eyed children. They all began to sing at a high pitch, the soundwaves aimed directly at Kamiya. He dropped to his knees and covered his ears. "Don't fret about it, Kamiya. If you lose your head to the music I can just mail it back to you giftwrapped." Hiyoko said.

The singing stopped, but Kamiya was left reeling. He attempted to grab his revolver, but was stopped by a staff being planted in the ground in front of him. "Not today, Kamiya." It was Yūji. "It goes without saying, but you have no idea how fired you are." Kamiya was then lifted up by an unseen force. "Need a hand, pal of mine?" said Shinji. Yūji proceeded to strike the prone Kamiya multiple times. Kamiya's rage began to build, and he summoned forth Hyperion, who slammed its fist into the ground, sending everyone flying back by bringing forth pillars of light. "Okay, no more bullshit!"

He walked over to Jin, and pinned him against a rock. He grabbed the tablet and tossed it. "There we go, mouth shut like God intended. You just keep finding new ways to piss me off, ya know that, Jinnie? Maybe threatening you and your annoying skank of a gal pal just isn't enough. Guess I just gotta do you like I did little sunny over there. Let's see...what's Mama up to right now, I wonder?" Jin's expression turned to one of anger. "Probably just getting in from her hospital shift. Gotta be shitty, having to keep going back after what happened to your Pops. Musta sucked for you havin' to leave her and baby sis behind after that, huh?" Jin's eyes widened. "Oh yeah, I know about little miss Aimi, old boy. I know everything about every single one of you punks. And I know enough to guess that she's probably in the middle of a Splatoon match right about now. Gamertag 'MIMI', right? Apple doesn't fall far, does it?" He put his revolver to Jin's chin. "Speaking of apples, I really gotta go grab my bride-to-be before the boss man breaks her. So what I'm gonna do is, I'm gonna shoot you in the fuckin' head, and I'm gonna drag your carcass up to the sticks where ya came from. Then poor old Mama and dear, little MiMi can look at your bloody corpse and then, I'll cap them both. Just uh, make sure to tell my old man I said hi when you see him."

Then, Jin vanished. He reappeared behind Kamiya. "Tell him yourself, asshole." He sliced Kamiya's throat. Blood sprayed out of the wound.

Kamiya grasped his throat, and made gargling noises. Jin slammed him into the rock as blood continued to gush out. Kamiya looked up, and saw Rin flying overhead. He reached out, and tried to speak. "Doesn't feel so good, does it?" Jin taunted. "Now here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna leave your sorry ass here to drown in your own blood. Just to make this perfectly clear, though: you can torture me, insult me, threaten me all you want. I could care less. But then you insult the girl I love. You threaten my mom and my 14-year old sister right to my face. And you have the balls to even mention my father in any capacity. You're miserable garbage, is what you are. So I'm gonna leave you here to die a miserable death. Alone, pitiful, and where Rin can't see you. I'm sure that last one's gonna sting the most." Jin shook his head. "All this over a schoolyard crush. Hope it was worth it. See you in the funny papers." Jin walked away, towards where Tenko was fighting Tohru.

A weakened Kamiya tried pulling himself up. Hiyoko walked over to him. "Don't like being hurt, do you? But inflicting pain on others is acceptable by you. If I were more vindictive, I would blast your head off right now in a show of poetic justice. But suffering like this is probably more fitting for a scoundrel like you. So, goodbye. And when you see my mother where you're going, tell her that despite her best efforts, I'm doing rather well for myself. And that I met someone more depraved and soulless than her. Au revoir." She walked away.

Kamiya gasped for air. He thought back to that night when he was 13, slitting his father's throat and setting their apartment building ablaze to cover it. He had killed so many in the Titan's service, all for a world that, at least for him, would likely never come. He cursed the day he'd ever laid eyes on Rin Kubo, before concluding that not laying eyes on her would have been impossible. With the last of his strength, he picked up his revolver, aiming in the direction Jin and Hiyoko had walked off to. Before firing a shot, his hand gave out, and he dropped the gun. He slowly closed his eyes.

There, on that barren battlefield, the Reaper drew his last breath, and died.

\---

Atop the Tartarus tower, Tohru landed with a crash, before picking himself up. Tenko, eyes still glowing, landed right after. "All that piss and vinegar from you and all I've done is flatten you at every turn. You couldn't be the god of a box of toothpicks, much less the entire world." she taunted. Tohru's aura flared. "I won't be lectured on my strength by some country hick. My ears have been made to bleed enough." He drew his blades.

"Oh, dear. Didn't I ever teach you proper manners?"

Large vines sprouted up from underneath Tohru and wrapped his arms. Hana descended down before him. "Et tu, mother?" Tohru uttered. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, Tohru. But this is something I can't allow you to do. The fact that my own son would cause this much pain, it hurts me to no end. I wonder where it was I went wrong. Maybe I did give Rin-chan more attention when you were younger. But you made it clear that human contact was something you didn't want. You Kubo men...just keep finding new ways to break my heart." Hana mused. "Mother...I..." Tohru began. "Don't even start with that 'I'm sorry' crap now, bro." a voice boomed out. Tan's giant form appeared, and promptly swatted Tohru far away. The girls all stared up at him. "Hey, y'all." he said.

Tohru landed with a crash. As he attempted to get up, a sword of light came through the ground and pierced him in the chest. Tenko landed, carrying Rose on her back. Tohru covered the blade in shadow, shattering it. As he got up, he was grabbed from behind. Shūjo wrapped his arms around Tohru's neck, lighting them on fire. A chain wrapped itself around Tohru's legs, bringing him to his knees. Jin was on the other end of the chain. Jugo appeared, and pointed his rifle at Tohru's head. Hiyoko followed suit, her hands radiating with energy. Tohru ceased struggling.

"Where is the Reaper...?" Tohru grumbled. "Your attack dog is dead." Hiyoko answered bluntly. "Really did a shit job with your lackies, didn't ya?" Shūjo taunted. "There is no victory for you here, Tohru. Your legions are defeated. The people have rejected your new world. Your strongest allies have been put down. You have nothing to gain, nothing to rule." said Rose. "This...this is my world..." Tohru asserted. "Your world is an empty land of ruins. It's nothing to boast about." Jugo retorted.

"'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings. Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.'" a voice echoed out. Rin landed next to the group. Tohru attempted to break free, but Shūjo tightened his grip. "One more move and it'll be your legs' last act." Jin said.

Rin walked up to her battered brother. "...what did you gain from this, Tohru? Anyone who agreed with your cause has seen their existence ended. You've sacrificed so many to get to this point, right here. Even your own flesh and blood have turned against you. You could've had such a successful life. You were going to defeat Ishimaru in a landslide. The world would've been at your fingertips. And you tossed it away because you couldn't let go of a petty grudge. This was always about two things, wasn't it? You couldn't bear to see me successful...and you couldn't accept that Papa would've wanted us to move on and keep living." "Father wanted me to defeat you---" "No, Tohru. He wanted me to defeat you."

Tohru was taken aback. "What did you say...?" "When I was training with the goddess...Papa came to speak to me. He told me that he wanted you to be successful, but not like this. He wanted you to do your best, even if it wasn't being the best. He knows how you've twisted his words into this awful form. And he gave me permission to stop you. He asked me to beat you, Tohru. He. Asked. Me."

Tohru was rendered speechless. "Lies...it...has to be lies...this was all...for his sake...No. No." He began shaking his head violently. "GrrrrrrAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

His head drooped. The group was confused. Then, his head rose up slowly. His eyes glowed silver.

"How tragic. Downfall brought about by your own kin. It is a feeling I know all too well." The voice coming from Tohru's mouth was dark, deep, distorted beyond recognition. "Release me, naive humans." He twitched, and caused enough force to send Shūjo back and release his legs from Jin's chains. He floated up into the air. "What is this?!" Tenko asked. "This...this must be...the Titan..." Rose answered.

"Indeed. I am he who granted humanity its bountiful harvests, he who commands the flow of time, he who permitted your wretched kind to exist upon the form of Mother Gaia. I am Cronus, son of Uranus, father to treasonous spawn. It is I who commanded the actions of the boy, Tohru Kubo. But it would seem even my gifts were not enough to best you. Such a pity." the Titan boomed. "Many eons ago, I was deposed from my throne by my own children, and imprisoned within the stygian abyss you call Tartarus. As the centuries passed, and humanity's reliance on the gods began to diminish, many of this world's deities fled to other planes, or were forced to take lower forms to compensate for their lowered power."

"Yet I remained imprisoned. Tartarus proved to be the meeting point between humanity's cognition and the real world. So long as the gods existed in humanity's consciousness, I would not disappear. And so for centuries I watched as the children my sons and daughters left the world to proceeded to rip it asunder. My mother's form desecrated and mutilated for the sake of gathering resources. Humanity's desperation had caused this planet irreparable damage. It sickened me to my core."

"But what does this have to do with my brother? Why enlist him?" Rin asked. "I hold sway over time, child. I had foreseen my impending failure long ago. Undone by a red-haired human blessed by the sun. I could not let this stand. So I resolved to fix it the one way I knew how..." "Familial betrayal." Rose interjected. "Precisely. So I gifted the envious brother and the lovestruck ruffian a fraction of my power, and allowed their plan to proceed. A world where life continues uninhibited would benefit me greatly. No conflict, no hatred, no desperation. What need would humanity have to destroy its own planet when their security is assured? With my puppets as rulers, and with my own children long departed from this plane, I would hold sway over a new age of this planet. One where the need for rebellion would be rendered moot."

Rin stayed silent for a moment. "You know...I can see why you went after Tohru. Hearing you speak, I honestly can't tell you apart. It's the same exact falsehoods, over and over. You don't want to save humanity. You want it in a place where you can make them submit, where they have no urge to fight back. You're as vindictive and spiteful as he is. So my position stands...I'll do everything in my power to stop you!"

The Titan scoffed. "Everything in your power. Indeed. Let us test that bravado, shall we? All I need do is swat you away, and the path to humanity's submission becomes all the more clear." The ground started to shake, and cracks started to appear. Dark aura began to pour from Tohru's body. "You are not cleansing the hearts of the unjust any longer, girl. You face one who has seen the face of the universe as it was in its infancy. Now...BEGONE!"

An explosion of energy came forth and enveloped the group. The energy fired off into the sky, and the rays continued to pour down across the entire battlefield. The remaining combatants were all sent flying by the impact of the destructive rays. At the tower, Tan shielded his mother from one blast, being hit squarely in the back. Large, purple, spiked vines began to emerge from the cracks.

At ground zero of the explosion, there was naught left but rubble. Tenko, Shūjo, Jugo, Jin and Hiyoko were lying on the ground, battered and unconscious. Some of the rubble began to move. Rin tossed it off of her. "Hey, hey, c'mon, wake up!" She tried to wake up Rose, who she had shielded. "Urrr...Rin? What just happened?" The girls looked up.

Towering over them was a giant, shadowy man with a large beard and flowing hair, wearing a torn-up robe and wielding a sickle and scythe. "Thank you for bringing me these interlopers. The process of weeding out humanity's sins shall begin now." he bellowed out.

Rose got up, and began to heal the others. "Come on, Rin. You know what to do." "Rose, I...I don't know if I can. That power is insane...even with the goddess' power it might not be enough..." "So your solution is to do nothing?! Was that what everything we've done up to now was for? Nothing?" "That isn't..." "Rin, please! You're the only one with the power to do this! Your power opposes his. You've gone through the same process as him to get it." The others all slowly got up.

Rose walked up to Rin, and grabbed her hands. "In my time with you all, I've come to believe in three things more than anything. I believe that love is invincible. I believe that hope will prevail in the end. And...I believe that Ringo Kubo can overcome anything." Rin was taken aback. "You can do anything. I believe that from the bottom of my heart. That I think, is what I've learned about love. It's about belief. Belief in everything that which you love is capable of. So...please. We'll be alright. We all believe you can do this. So we know it'll be alright in the end." Rin looked to her friends. They all smiled, and gave a nod.

"You all...put way too much stock in me. I'm just a normal girl, after all. But...thank you. Thanks for having my back all this time, even when it got rough. You guys are the best friends I've ever had." Rin began approaching the Titan. "So...I'm going to end this. I'm going to kick this monster's butt, and then...we can start living. We can go shopping, see a movie, just be normal teenagers. That all starts right here, right now. So...just believe in me for a little while longer. I'll give this tale the ending it deserves."

Rin walked up to Cronus. She raised her hands. "I'm all yours, brother." she said. He lifted his foot. Rin just stood there, as the Titan brought his foot down on top of her. Then...

"My turn to show and tell." a voice echoed out.

Light began to emanate from beneath Cronus. The ground began to shake. "What...?!" the Titan uttered. A giant pillar of light erupted from beneath Cronus, sending him back. The wasteland was bathed in the brilliant light of the sun. The shadowy vines around the battlefield dissolved away.

What emerged from the pillar of light, was a giant tiger, with glowing white fur and red stripes. Numerous artifacts shaped like the sun circled around her midsection. She let out a tremendous roar. "Whoa..." Shūjo uttered. "SHE'S SO BIG AND FLUFFY!" Tenko yelled.

Cronus readied his sickle. "The sun rises to defend humanity. How poetic. Within my form, the boy is screaming for vengeance. In every way, shape, and form, this shall be the decisive battle. Prepared, goddess?" "I am prepared...Tohru." she bellowed out.

She lunged at the Titan, who chucked her aside. She landed on her feet. He tossed his sickle, wrapping the chain around one of her legs. He pulled her towards him. She slashed at the chain, breaking it. He charged his hands, and slammed them into the ground. Shadows charged towards the tiger, who leapt over them, and tackled the Titan. She began to bite at his neck, but Cronus delivered a headbutt, then a hard punch at the reeling tiger.

He picked the giant feline up by the throat, and delivered more powerful blows. He charged his fist again, and delivered a crushing blow. The tiger was knocked to the ground, but picked herself up. She roared. "Why?! Why do you persist?!" he rumbled. He charged his hands again, and fired a beam of darkness. The tiger charged the artifacts, and fired off an opposing beam of light. The beams clashed.

On the spiritual plane, Tohru stood amongst the clouds. Rin kneeled, facing away from him. "What is it that makes you resist? What do you have that I don't?" he demanded. "Do you really still not get it?" she began. "All you've expressed towards me is anger, deception...and jealousy. And you've let that jealousy inflate to where you're putting everyone in danger. I would never do anything like that. I believe in love, in compassion, in forgiveness." "Forgiveness isn't justice. You let the man who murdered Father continue his cursed existence with barely a word of scorn. I would've ended him on the spot." "And that's what makes us different, brother. I listened to his explanation. He'd suffered enough and was suffering to where I needn't do anything. He made his remorse clear. I chose to forgive and move on with my life. If I was like you and let that sort of thing boil over and consume my life, then what kind of life would that be? No. I choose to forgive. I choose to live. That's how we're different, Tohru."

"Because I can still sit here, and tell you that even with everything you've done...deep down, in my heart...I still forgive you. I still love you."

Tohru was stunned. "What...? Why...? Why?"

"Why would you say that to me? Answer me! Ringo? Rin...? Why won't you look at me?"

"Why...won't you look at me?"

Back in the physical world, Rin's beam of light overwhelmed the Titan's, blasting a hole through his torso. He reeled back, and tried to hold himself up. The tiger lunged, and charged its claws. It swiped at Cronus' head, destroying it. The Titan's body crashed to the ground. The tiger stood over her defeated opponent, and gave one last roar up to the sky.

The Titan began to crumble away. Rin shrunk down and returned to her normal form. The giant fell to pieces, leaving behind only the ravaged body of Tohru. Rin walked over to her defeated brother. Her friends stayed close behind.

Tohru's lower half had crumbled away. The rest of his form was slowly following suit. Rin kneeled next to him. She looked into his eyes. They had returned to their normal shade of black. "Rin...you..." he uttered weakly. "Shhh. It's alright. It's done." she said. "So it is...my ambition...my power...and my life...it is done. Wasted away by the blind pursuit of superiority...the curse of all mankind..."

Rin grabbed his hand. "You...even now you best me. The gods...they chose the right champion. The one who could truly surpass me in every way. The girl, Rose, was correct...I should have respected your talents, not resented them. There is...nothing I can say that would make you forgive me...yet somehow, you would find a reason. That's how we are different..."

Rin smirked. "I forgave you a long time ago, Tohru. I never set out to end your life. All I wanted was to do what I'd done before. It's what Papa wanted. He wanted me to save your soul. This doesn't erase what you've done. But...if I could at least put your soul at peace...make you realize that what you'd done was wrong...if I could just change your heart, then it would all be okay."

"Hmmm...even now, thinking of someone else...nothing I could do could change you, could it?" "Nope. I'm still the happiest girl in the world. And I'm still your annoying sister. As it was, as it is, as it forever shall be." Tohru chuckled. "So it is...for the first time...I don't have any desire to change you...shame it had to happen this way...I suppose I won't be able to explain myself to Father, where I'm going. A shame, but no less than I deserve..." "Hey, you never know. The gods work mysteriously. You'll be alright, I promise." "Hahaha...ever the optimist. As it was, is, and shall be..." He began to crumble away.

"The future is in good hands with you, sister. I'm sure of it. Thank you, Rin..." Tohru faded away.

Rin got up. At this point, everyone had gathered to watch. They all started to vanish. "They are returning to their place in the real world. Most won't remember what happened here. Those connected to your heart will have some recollection." Tsukiyomi explained. "So, what happens now, father?" Rose asked. "Now? You go see a movie. Buy something nice. Do what it is teenagers do. You've more than earned it. Your reward for saving everything...is getting to live. For now...it's time we depart from here."

Rin's friends all disappeared with looks of content. Rin was left with Tsukiyomi. "Thank you, Ms. Kubo. You performed beyond all expectations. Just how the hero of this tale should be. The world owes you its gratitude." Rin closed her eyes, opening them with a satisfied smile. "They have my gratitude. For just being who they are. That's enough for me. Now, let's go home. I have school in the morning, after all." she said. They disappeared.

\---

A Thesis on Love, by Rōzū Kubo

Love...is belief.

It is the belief that one you admire will always come through in the end.

Love is ever-present, whether towards a person, a place or an object. It is what drives our day to day lives. It isn't always towards something positive, but when it is, it is truly beautiful.

Love is something we want. It is sweetness, wisdom, and liveliness all in one perfect form.

It is bright, and good, and can be pictured with the warmest shade of red.

Love...is like an apple.


	16. "Epilogue: Happy Birthday, Apple-chan"

APRIL 5, 2020

"See anything interesting today, dear?" Tsukiyomi stood behind Amaterasu, in her usual position staring out into the sea of clouds. "Same as it usually is. Which is perfectly fine given recent events." she answered. "Everything seems to have calmed down. Still no trace of the Kubo boy or the Reaper. Hopefully they don't have any further resurrection acts in them." Tsukiyomi added.

"How have the children been doing?" Amaterasu asked. "Don't pretend like you haven't been keeping an eye on them. But in any case, they've resumed normal day-to-day lives. Haven't even travelled to Tartarus since that day. Let's hope they won't have to. And, Ammy..." "What is it, you old duff?" "Thank you. If you hadn't helped us, we'd surely have lost that day." "Hmph. It wasn't for your sake. What that boy was set to do would have been catastrophic for us all. I only did what was right." "Well thank you, anyway. I'll just let you know that I have an appreciative look on my face. I'll leave you to stare out into the clouds."

As he walked away, he spoke up. "Say...isn't rain in the forecast for where those kids are?" "Not today, it isn't. Today I'm making sure the sun is out." she responded.

\---

Rin finished tying her hair back. She put on a red tank top and matching red sneakers. She looked at her arms. "Still can't get used to it." she said to herself.

She went outside the cabin. The mountainside was covered by a sea of pink and red trees. Staring up at the trees, in a velvet blouse, was Rose. "Like what you see, Rosie?" Rin asked. "Oh, there's the birthday girl. It's...breathtaking. Just like you said it would be." Rose answered. "Being able to see a sight like this, without fear of incoming danger...makes everything we did worth it."

"Hey, where's the rest of the gang?" Rin asked. "Waiting for you over this way. Let's go see them." The girls walked over to where the rest of the group had set up. "There she iiiiiis~! I was about to call up a search party!" exclaimed Tenko. "Thank God. Maybe now Jay and Silent Bob here can stop arguing." Jugo added. "I'm just saying, eating Hi-Chews all day can't be healthy. At least consider a salad." Shūjo said. "I did. Once. It tasted like grass." Jin retorted. "Don't bears like grass?" Hiyoko asked. "You know what else bears like? Literal garbage. I'll stick with the tasty stuff." "That can't be good for your bowels, bro. As someone who flushes their shit every morning, I can tell ya that--"

"ANYway." Tenko piped up. "I'm sure the birthday girl wants to know what her entourage got her for her special day. Jin, sweets, you wanna go grab it?" "Aye-aye, captain." Jin got up. "That's right, bud, work those leg muscles." said Shūjo, smacking Jin on the rear, much to his annoyance.

"Soooo, Rin-Rin. We know your bro's gonna be getting his own place soon, and we know there's something you really wanted that you couldn't have while he was there..." Tenko started. "You didn't. Oh my God, you didn't." Rin said. "Jiiiiin! You can bring her out now~!" Jin came back holding a tiny, peach-colored kitten. Rin was taken aback. "Say hi to Momo, Boss." Jugo said. "A couple of the kids I look after found her in a shoebox over by the orphanage. She's had all the right work done. She's healthy as healthy can be." Hiyoko added. Rin held the kitten. "Oh my God, I'm in love. You guys, I...I don't know what to say." "Don't gotta say it to us. It was her idea." Shūjo said, gesturing to Rose. "Miss Hana signed off on it. I know you have a sense when it comes to cats, so I thought it'd be perfect." Rose said.

Rin stared in awe at the kitten. "I'm gonna carry you around in my purse like a poodle, I swear." she said. "Oh boy, another one." Jin said. "You say something?" Tenko asked. "Nothing, hon."

A while later, Rin sat by a tree with the kitten. Rose approached. "I see you're enjoying your gift." Rose said. "You could say that." Rin said. She looked over at the rest of the group. Shūjo was holding Jin's tablet and was wearing his cap, while Jin held a stick in his mouth. The other three were laughing. "So, have you given it any more thought?" Rose asked. "What, me? Class president? I dunno." "I don't see why not. You have the brains, the looks, the personality. You'd be perfect for it." Rin giggled. "Well, when you put it like that, it doesn't sound too out of the question. You left out one important piece though." "Hm? What would that be?" "I've got the best support system in the world. A president needs to have the best people to help them out. I think I have that in the bag." "I think you're right. With the group we have, I don't think anyone would be opposed to it." Rin winked. "Team Apple-chan takeover it is, then."

Later that night, Rin sat at her desk, scribbling in her journal. The kitten was curled up in her lap.

"What a difference a year makes. At this point last year, I was in a pit of misery. Now, I'm back to my old, happy self. And it's all thanks to the people who love me."

"I don't know what the future holds. But so long as this crazy bunch is around, I don't have anything to fear. I made it this far because of them."

"I stared despair in the face. And I lived. I'm still smiling, still seeing the bright side. Love and hope will always shine through, like the rays of the sun. Even when it seems hopeless, there's always going to be a way for hope to prevail. A certain velvet girl taught me that."

"I couldn't have done this without your words, Papa. You steadied my heart when it started to waver. Even though you're not here right now, everything you've told me will stay right here, in my heart."

"Thank you so much, Papa. And you too, Tohru."

"Love, forever and always, your Rin-chan."

UNTIL NEXT TIME


End file.
